Harry Potter and the Opposite side of the coin
by Arildun
Summary: After Harry vanquished Voldemort as a baby, The Malfoys use their high reputation to adopt Harry Potter. Now they secretly train him to become Voldemorts most loyal and dangerous servant.
1. The opposite side of the coin

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The opposite side of the coin**

Lucius Malfoy and his wife Narcissa black, lived at Malfoy mansion. They were proud to be one of the last noble pure-blood family's in the world, and had great influence with the ministry of magic.

Lucius was a man with long blond hair combined with gray eyes and a pale and pointed face that face that spoke of unquestionable aristocratic superiority. Narcissa had blonde hair, blue eyes, and just like her husband, a very pale face.

They were loyal followers of the dark wizard Voldemort, and when their lord fell, they made a decision that would change the course of history.

Knowing that their master would return, the Malfoys used their influence with the ministry to adopt the one that had seemingly destroyed their master, and to prevent him from ever becoming a threat to their master or his work, they would secretly raise him to revere the one he destroyed and to mould him into his most dangerous servant. While Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, wanted him to be taken in by his natural blood line, the magical population sided with the Malfoys, convinced that a boy with such promise should not be raised by muggles. The combined force of the noble Malfoys, the minister of magic, and the rest of the magical population, was too much for the headmaster, and he was forced to give in.

Minerva McGonagall was pacing through the headmaster's office, her emerald robes flowing behind her, her normally stern eyes now looking furious.

'We all know that the Malfoys are death eaters Albus, we cannot allow them to adopt the boy who just vanquished their master, who knows what they'll do to him?'

Albus Dumbeldore was sitting behind his desk, the friendly twinkle that usually appeared in his eyes was not there. His hands buried in his face, it was one of the few times McGonagall had seen him utterly defeated.

'What do you suggest, Minerva?' the tired headmaster said. 'The Malfoy's have the ministry and the magical population behind them, there is nothing we can do except hope for the best when he arrives here, and pray that we might be able to turn him from the path you fear he will take.'

'The wizengamot will listen to us, if we can press charge maybe one of the order can adopt the boy!' McGonagall said stubbornly.

Dumbledore did not look at her.

'You know as well as I do that the wizengamot is just as convinced as the magical population, they are all convinced that the hero of this age should not be allowed to be raised by people of non magical origin.'

McGonagall still looked defiant.

'Admit defeat Minerva, it is all we can do for now.' Dumbledore added.

Ten years later, at Malfoy mansion, Lucius was leaning on his staff. 'impossible', the blond haired wizard thought, 'an eleven year old!'. He looked up to the boy in black robes who was now slowly walking towards the nearly kneeling man, robes flowing behind him as if moved by an invisible wind. He had changed in the last ten years. Lucius remembered him as a healthy looking child, with black hair, a friendly baby smile, green eyes and a lightning shaped scar that told about his battle with his master. Hardly any of that boy still remained.

The healthy looking skin had been replaced by a pale colour to which even he could not compare. The green eyes had been reduced to a dark green that spoke of a scarred life combined with heavy training. Only the hair and the scar had remained.

'_Expelliarmus_' said the boy softly, as he kept walking towards the now kneeling man.

The force of his attackers spell send Lucius crashing into the basement wall, his wand and walking staff flying to the opposite basement wall.

He remembered his decision. The decision to train the boy to become a powerful ally to the dark lord when he returned. To train the boy everyday of his life, he trained him to duel. The corruption of the dark lord's only threat a sign of great loyalty, the effort he put into it day after day, a sign of great devotion.

'_Wingardium Leviosa' _The boy said in that soft tone.

Had the decision been wrong?

Lucius felt his body lift from the ground, and float slightly to the left. Lucius's eyes widened when he realized what this boy was going to do.

Without a change of expression, the boy pointed his wand at the far right wall. Lucius opened his mouth to stop the boy, but it was too late, he crashed into the right wall, and before he could even recover, the boy pointed his wand upwards, and send him crashing into the ceiling. Finally he pointed his wand to the floor, making Lucius crash against the cold, hard, basement floor.

Pausing only to regain his breath, Lucius spoke.

'Enough Harry'.

The boy lowered his wand.

'Are you okay father?' the boy asked, his face contradicting his words.

'A bit bruised I think' Lucius replied, picking himself up from the floor.

'_Accio' _Harry said, and Lucius's staff and wand came flying towards its master.

'I'll be glad when you are off to Hogwarts' Lucius said. He had not dared to teach the boy any dangerous spells, not even to use them in fear the boy might figure them out. Not out of pity for the boy, but to keep himself safe. Unarmed as he was, if the boy could have broken several of his bones with just a single hover charm, there was no telling what the boy could accomplish with real spells, fast as he was.

'They will be able to teach you far more than I can'.

Watching the boy from the corner of his eye, he saw the boy's dark green eyes flashing the purest black for a second.

'I can hardly wait.'

Lucius watched the boy. No, the decision had not been wrong, he would grow to be powerful, a dark wizard worthy of serving the dark lord.

Narcissa, Harry and Draco had to go to Diagon alley to buy their stuff for school, while Lucius remained behind to do some work. When the three had disappeared from his sight, he began writing a letter. He could only hope that Severus might have some control over the boy, it would not do if Harry was expelled from Hogwarts before his lord returned.

When Narcissa, Harry and Draco arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, a man behind the bar made an awkward bow and said 'good afternoon Mrs. Malfoy'. His gaze swept to Draco and Harry, 'and good afternoon to you young lads.' Not knowing the man, Harry swept past him without saying a word, if his father had not told him about the man behind the counter, it would be of no importance and therefore the man was not worthy of his attention. It was clear that Draco shared his opinion, and together they continued to the back of the bar.

The three entered Diagon Alley, and after they bought school books, Harry spotted an enormous man, coming out of what could only be Gringotts. 'Who is that?' Harry asked, having never before seen a man that tall. 'Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper of Hogwarts' Narcissa said indifferently.

Harry could not help but stare at the giant man, and as he walked past the three of them, their eyes met.

The eyes of the man widened, and he moved towards them, in what Harry estimated was to be an enormous hug.

'I haven't seen you since you were a baby!' Hagrid almost roared. 'How are you doing?!'

Harry noticed that this Hagrid obviously wasn't going to stop, and before he could crush him in a giant hug, Harry had pulled out his wand and was now pointing it to the man's chin.

'Don't touch me' Harry sneered with contempt. Harry saw Draco also pulling out his wand and pointing it to Hagrid. Narcissa kept to the background, but had a bemused smile on her face.

Hagrid's eyes switched from confusion, to sadness, and without a word, moved away from them down into the street.

Harry withdrew his wand, and as Draco did the same, he spoke.

'How does that man know me?' I have never seen him before.' Harry asked his mother.

'Obviously drunk dear', Narcissa said, still bemused with the entire situation.

'Come on now,' she continued. 'you already have wands' she smiled at that, 'so you only need school robes.'

As the three moved to Madam Malkins, Harry could not help but wonder why that man had been so happy to see him. He was sure that he had never seen him before.

Dismissing the man from his mind, he entered the shop.

Lucius, Narcissa, their son Draco and Harry were walking through King's Cross Station, on their way to the Hogwarts express. Harry and Draco were walking side by side, two hired men pushing forth their trolley's. Harry and Draco both wore identical black robes and were talking about the Hogwarts houses. Draco had been his only friend his entire life, and although Harry did not mention it, he would be devastated if he did not get to be in the same house as his friend.

'…most of all the purebloods are in Slytherin for the most part, of course there are some exceptions, but the majority will be in Slytherin.' Draco narrowed his eyes. 'Tss.. Lets hope we do not have to share a room with a mudblood, or worse, a blood traitor'. Harry had heard his family talking about blood traitors, apparently a family called the Weasleys were the biggest of the blood traitor family's. His father said that you could always recognise a Weasley because of the red hair and freckles. He wondered if he was going to meet one of them. It could be fun. Grinning slightly, he and Draco passed the barrier that separated the muggle and the magical platform of 9 ¾.

The two boys turned to their parents. Draco kissed his mother and hugged his father, who wished him good luck. Harry hugged his mother and shook hands with his father, who in turn wished him good luck as well. Waving, the two boys entered the train, dismissing the two hired men who had just finished with their trolleys.

Draco and Harry found an empty compartment, and claimed all the seats in the small room.

As the train began moving, Harry was already lost in thought.

'It has really begun now'.

'Wasn't there supposed to be some old fart on this train who is supposed to sell food?' Draco inquired, glancing into the hallway of the train as if expecting the food trolley to appear at his pure will alone.

'Supposed to be.' Harry said without any real interest.

'Tss…well I'm hungry' ,Draco said. 'want to come and see if she is even on the train?'

'Ah well, can't deny that I'm not a bit hungry myself.' Harry yawned and followed Draco out of the compartment. Turning at the door, Harry murmured '_Colloportus'. _So that the door would magically seal itself.

After a few minutes without finding the food trolley, Harry noticed something in a compartment to his left. He nudged Draco.

'Draco, look at that boy….could it be a….?' letting his words trail.

Draco seemed to get it in an instant, and walked into the compartment, where a girl just muttered, '_reparo_' and repaired something of the red haired boy opposite her.

'Nice charm, perhaps you should try it on your hair', Draco sneered.

Although Harry did not know the girl, Draco seemed to, and he did not seem to hold her in high regards. Harry wondered who she could be.

'A Malfoy huh?' said the red haired boy who could only a Weasley.' Get out, we do not want you company.'

Draco turned a little red. 'Oh, I wouldn't hope to disturb you Weasley, although you do make a good couple'. He said with an evil smile.

The Weasley turned red and put his hands in his pants as if to pull out something, yet before he could get what ever it was from his pants, the girl already had her wand in hand.

'You will notice that I do not only know repairing charms' she said pointing his wand at Draco.

Draco put his hands in his robe, but it was too late, for the girl already cried, '_furnunculus'._

'_protego' _Harry muttered.

Harry's shield charm effectively blocked the girl's spell, making her fall back on the bench again.

The Weasley had his wand pulled out and was now pointing it at Harry, who muttered '_expelliarmus_' Making the boy's wand fly through the compartment.

'Come on Draco, we didn't come here to fight' Harry said frowning. 'We came to find some food'.

After finding the food trolley and buying their lunch, Harry and Draco returned to their compartment (Harry muttering '_alohomora'_) and patiently waited for the castle to appear.

When the train stopped, all first years were told to follow the gamekeeper. Draco noticed Hagrid, the one they had seen at Diagon Alley, standing at the end of the platform, talking to what seemed to be an older Weasley. Noticing that he had a job to do, he moved to the train and yelled 'first years, this way'. Harry and Draco followed the giant man until they reached the shores of a black lake. Pointing at several small boats Hagrid once more yelled over the crowd.

'Not more than four people in a boat at the same time'.

Harry and Draco had soon claimed a boat, but were forced to share it with two people who had not been so fast with claiming a boat. The Weasley boy, and the Reparo girl, and while the Weasley and Draco got into a staring match, Harry managed to eye the girl calmly.

Soon the boats were floating over the black lake.

Luckily a giant castle appeared at the other side of the lake, which attracted everyone's attention, for Draco had been about to say something which would ensure that at least one of them would get thrown off the boat.

They arrived at the other side of the shore, and after a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the giant doors of the castle, on which Hagrid began to pound with his fists until the doors opened.

In the doorway stood a witch in emerald green robed and glasses, who eyed them with a stern gaze.

'The first years professor McGonagall' Hagrid said.

'Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here' the witch named McGonagall said.


	2. Hogwarts

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Hogwarts**

The witch called McGonagall led them up a series of stairs, opened two great doors, and led them into what could only be the great hall of the castle. People were already sitting at four different benches which were obviously for the four different houses. The hall was lit by what seemed to be thousands of candles, floating above the four tables. Above the candles appeared to be the outside sky, and at the end of the hall, a table reserved for the teachers.

Professor McGonagall placed what seemed to be an old, dirty, patched hat, on a small chair just before the teachers table.

'When I call your name, you will come forward. You will put the hat on your head, and the hat will tell us to which house you belong' McGonagall said in a loud and clear voice.

Countless first years, walked towards the dirty old hat, and countless times the hat told the school in which house they belonged, among those, the reparo girl, which seemed to be called Hermione Granger. She was put into Gryffindor house.

Harry fought the urge to yawn. He really could not care less in which house all the others were placed.

'Draco Malfoy' Called professor McGonagall.

With great arrogant strides, Draco walked towards the hat, en when it touched him the hat already yelled:"Slytherin".

Harry was glad for his friend. He knew that it had been Draco's greatest desire to be in Slytherin.

Several other people followed him to the hat, and Harry was now seriously considering just walking to Slytherins table. Ignoring the ceremony completely.

'Harry Potter!' McGonagall called at last.

Several whispers rippled through the hall, but Harry choose to ignore them.

Harry walked to the sorting hat, and then the most strange feeling overcame him. The hat seemed to have eyes which were looking at him, a sharp, piercing glare, as if the hat was looking into his soul.

When he neared the hat, it suddenly opened his mouth.

'Slytherin!'

Failing to hide a small grin, he walked to the table of Slytherin and sat next to Draco, where he was awarded with a round of applause, which seemed to be usual if someone was chosen.

Harry looked at the teachers table, and could've swore that he had seen Dumbledore looking at him, a concerned look. It happened so quick that Harry began to think that he had imagined it, but still.

Then it was the Weasley's turn. Apperently the Weasley was called Ronald.

The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose from his high backed chair, and began a speech, but Harry was not interested. He looked next to him and saw that Draco gave him a thumbs up.

Suddenly food appeared on the golden plates. Realising that he was hungry already after his lunch on the train, Harry and Draco dug in.

Halfway during their meal, a ghost appeared next to Draco.

'Good evening, children' he said, floating a little higher so he was looking down on them.

The ghost had an expressionless face, and staring eyes, which looked like augurs. His transparent body was covered in silvery stains, which Harry guessed were ancient bloodstains.

Recognising the ghost as the bloody baron, the ghost of Slytherin house, Harry quickly said hello, and heard Draco doing the same.

'Proud to be in Slytherin?' The bloody baron asked.

When both Draco and Harry nodded, the ghost looked pleased.

'As you should be… noble house.' He murmered.

When no one said anything he moved on, towards the other Slytherins.

Dismissing the ghost from his mind, Harry's gaze wandere through the hall, resting on a man wearing a turban. His scar prickled slightly. Ignoring the pain, he nudged the person to his right, a boy unknown to him who seemed to be several years older than himself.

'Who is that man wearing a turban?' Harry asked.

The boy looked rather irritated by the lack of manners, but quickly rectified his face when he noticed Harry's scar.

'That's professor Quirrell, he teaches defense against the dark arts.

Muttering thanks, Harry once more eyed the man called Quirrell. Dismissing the teacher as well, his gaze swept across the hall one more time.

The Weasley was looking at him. He turned around when he saw him looking, but he was sure, what first started as neutrality and self-defense, now turned towards distrust.

Dumbledore rose, and the hall fell silent again.

'I would like to remember the students of Hogwarts, that the forbidden forest, is forbidden for a reason, and therefore should not be entered. Mister Filch, the janitor, has asked me to remind you all that magic between classes is prohibited, and, quidditch practice has been scheduled on the second week of term.'

'Lastly, I would like to tell you that the right hand corridor, on the third floor, is forbidden terrain, for all who do not wish to die a painful death.'

'Now, follow your prefects to your dormitories, and then directly to bed, for I know that you are tired, and tomorrow will be a long first day at Hogwarts.

A/N

_Demonstro (_Made up spell, literally meaning 'show, demonstrate or present' used to scry).

Harry followed Draco and the prefect to the dungeons of the castle. The prefect led them to the cellar and told the wall the password, which turned out to be "Pure-blood". Next to him he heard Draco mutter.

'A fitting password'.

Harry, Draco and the other Slytherins entered and walked into the Slytherin common room, a low ceilinged, dungeon like room with greenish lamps.

'Girls dormitories are down on the left, the boys dormitories are down on the right' the prefect said with an air of wanting to be rid of all these people.

'Your stuff will already be there. Suit yourself'. And with that, he promptly walked to a stairwell on the right that went deeper under Hogwarts.

Harry and Draco appeared to share a dormitory with two ogre like boys called Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle and a tall thin boy called Theodore Nott.

Because everyone was tired, everyone immediately went to bed, except Harry and Draco.

Sitting on Draco's bed, Draco whispered.

'Will it work here you think, with all the powerful protection?'

'Only one way to find out.' Harry said, more confirmed than he actually felt.

Harry pointed his wand at his forehead and muttered '_Demonstro'_.

He was lifted out of his own body, and saw Draco and himself sitting on the bed, Draco waiting patiently for him to return.

Harry floated out of the dungeons into the great hall, he was filled with glee because his spell, very probably the most advanced spell in his arsenal, worked in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry as well. Preparing to float back again, he noticed the headmaster and the giant called Hagrid, silently whispering.

'..Brought it from Gringotts Dumbledore' Hagrid whispered. Revealing a small reddish stone, and gave it to the headmaster.

'Thanks you Hagrid' the headmaster said equally whispering, and took the stone.

Then his eyes flashed into alertness, he took out his wand and pointed it directly to where Harry was floating.

'_finite'_ the headmaster said softly.

Suddenly Harry's vision of the scene began to fade. Somehow the headmaster had noticed him, and had countered his spell.

He opened his eyes, still sitting on Draco's bed, but covered in sweat.

'What is it, what did you see?' The boy asked anxiously.

Gasping, Harry told him how his spell had worked, how he had heard the headmaster and the gamekeeper talk about the reddish stone, and how the wizard had seen through his spell and had send him back.

'Do you think he knows that it was you?' Draco asked nervously.

'I don't think so, but I also did not notice him seeing me until it was too late. He could have seen me.' Harry finished feeling a bit nervous himself.

'Lets go to bed' Harry whispered. He had just found out exactly how tired he was, after the journey on the train, the selection ceremony and the scrying.

Without another word, the two boys went to bed, and although Harry wanted to ponder about the stone, sleep took him by surprise.

From the moment Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott left their common room, whispers followed him through the hallways.

'Look at him!'

'Did you see his scar?'

'Isn't that Harry Potter?'

This changed from awkwardness to especially annoying, and Harry had to resist the urge to hex somebody.

'Hey Potter!'

Giving in to his urge, he drew his wand and prepared to curse the unlucky person who had happened to call out to him, just to draw an example for the rest.

Just in time he recognised the boy he had nudged during the opening ceremony to ask who professor Quirrell was.

He lowered his wand and allowed the stranger to introduce himself.

'Rowan Norton' the boy said, eyeing Harry's wand.

Apparently, Norton was a third year, who's parents were purebloods and who worked at the auror office.

'If you wish, I could guide you around the castle..' the boy continued. '…seeing as it is your first day. Hogwarts can be a bit of a maze.'

Pocketing his wand Harry allowed the boy called Rowan to lead him to his first classroom. Transfiguration.

As Rowan ran off to his own classroom, Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott walked to an empty set of tables in the back of the class. The classroom was half full, and only a cat occupied the teachers desk. The lesson started, but the teacher still had not arrived.

When the red haired Weasley suddenly barged into the classroom, the cat changed into professor McGonagall.

'Now that the last has _finally_ arrived, we will begin your first lesson of transfiguration.' McGonagall said, looking sternly at the Weasley. Harry, Draco and Nott grinned at each other, Crabbe and Goyle making grunting sounds of what seemed to be their unique form of laughter.

Then the class got the exercise of trying to transfigure matches into needles.

The Slytherins soon discovered that it was more difficult than it looked, as did the rest of the class.

At the end of the lesson, only Granger, Harry and Nott had made any effort.

Grangers match was now pointed, and a bit gray-ish. Harry's match was still an ordinary match, but shone with a platinum colour, indicating high quality. Nott's match had merely turned into an ordinary gray earning ten points for the Slytherins and five for Gryffindor.

As the days passed by, the group of Slytherins experienced all kinds of different subjects at Hogwarts. From History of magic, to defence against the dark arts. The only subject to remain was Potions, in the dungeons.

When professor Snape entered the dungeon, Harrys first impression of the potion master was that of a giant bat with a human face. Snapes face was pale, and his eyes dark he had an expression on his face that was constantly alert.

'I don't believe any of you really understand the beauty of the softest simmering cauldron with its simmering fumes. The delicate power that creeps through the human veins, reaching the mind and ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even stopper death.' His eyes shone at that last.

'Potter,' Snape said turning to Harry.

'What would I get if I added powdered root of affodil to an infusion of wyrmwood?'

Harry saw Grangers hand shot into he air.

Harry's mother had taught him the basics of potion master and some advanced liquors.

'You would create a sleeping potion so strong that it is also called "the potion of living death', Harry said with only a slight hesitation.

'Well done Potter', Snape said, his lips curling into a small smile.

'Next question, where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?'

Once again Grangers hand shot into the air, but this time, Harry had no idea.

'I don't know sir.' He said just loud enough for Snape to hear.

Harry saw Weasley grin.

Snape spotted as well, and reacted instantly.

'Never mind Potter, you're not supposed to know yet. But Weasley on the other hand seems confident enough to answer such a simple question. Weasley! Same question!'

Weasleys grin faded.

'I-I don't know sir' he stuttered.

'How predictable' Snape sneered. 'Five points from Gryffindor Weasley. I will not tolerate people laughing at other peoples failures, even if those failures are as small as the content of you head.'

Feeling a whole lot better, Harry waited until class was finished. The entire lesson had been hilarious to say in the least. A black haired Gryffindor had somehow managed to spill his potion all over the dungeon floor. Snape had been furious, with very humorous after effects.

At the end of the lesson, Snape dismissed the class, but asked Harry to stay behind for a moment.

'You go on ahead' Harry told Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott. 'And tell Rowan that ill meet him in the great hall during lunch.'

After everyone had left, he turned to Snape.

'I will directly turn to business Potter' Snape said.

'I have received a letter from your father, in which he states that your powers exceed that of you fellow first years by far.'

'It is therefore his wish that I give you private practise in spells more advanced for your level.'

You will come here at eight o'clock in the evening, and we will practise here in this very office for two hours.'

'I understand professor' Harry said.

'Good.' Snape said smiling slightly again.

'Then off you go Potter, and I will see you in the evening.'

Harry bade him goodbye, and left the dungeons and turned towards the great hall.


	3. A Weasley overheard

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**A Weasley overheard**

At the end of the day, Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and Rowan threw themselves on the couches in the Slytherin common room.

'Tss..I guess we should do the homework' Draco said with a yawn.

'Probably the best' Nott said with a yawn of himself.

When they finished their homework, the Slytherins left for dinner in the great hall, after which they immediately returned to the common room, where Harry asked Rowan to practise spells with him.

To avoid commotion, the six people left for Harry's dormitory, at which they took they places at the far ends.

Rowan started.

'_Tarantallegra' _Rowan cried.

'_Protego' _said almost whispering. He effectively blocked Rowan's spell, and began to counter.

'_Fumos' _Harry said pointing his wand at the centre of the dormitory.

Smoke filled the dormitory, blocking everyone's sight.

Harry launched himself away from where his opponent had last spotted him and heard Rowan attempting a shield charm, while there was nothing to defend against.

When no one attempted any spells, Harry heard Rowan mutter.

'_Ventus_'

The smoke vanished making everybody visible again.

Harry noticed himself being ridiculously close to his opponent, and at the same time Rowan spotted Harry as well.

Fast as Harry was, his opponent was faster this time.

'_Impedimenta_' he cried victoriously.

With barely time to react Harry concentrated.

_Levicorpus_ was the only spell Harry could do non verbal, and he was secretly very proud of it. His father said that it had been originally Snape's invention.

He felt himself being hoisted into the air by his ankle as he cast the spell upon himself. Just barely dodging the jinx Rowan send flying at him and making it bounce against the wall behind him..

Caught off guard by this sudden behaviour, Rowan didn't guard himself properly as Harry aimed for him.

'_Expelliarmus' _Harry cried.

The force of his spell send his opponent crashing wandless into to the dormitory wall.

Letting himself drop to the floor Harry moved to his unarmed opponent, who leaped at his wand.

'_Incarcerous' _Harry muttered.

Ropes magically appeared and began to wrap themselves around Rowan to prevent him from reaching his wand.

'This is over Rowan' Harry said.

Harry made the ropes vanish and used a summoning charm to retrieve the wand of his opponent, who took it with a grimace.

'Wow Harry, that was cool' Nott said from the doorway.

Crabbe and Goyle were also grunting in the doorway, but not in a language Harry could understand.

Draco moved towards him and clapped him on the back.

'Nice one Harry' He said grinning.

'Nice duel' Rowan said, flexing his arm where ropes had bound themselves especially tight.

'Should've had you with that impediment jinx..he muttered.'

'yeah that was a close one' Harry agreed.

Noticing that it was nearly eight o'clock, Harry made an excuse to Rowan and sped off towards the dungeons.

'Welcome Potter' Snape said after Harry closed the doors. 'As I said, in these lessons, I am going to teach you how to use spells more advanced for your current level.'

'I understand sir.' Harry said respectively.

'Good,' Snape said. 'The first spell that I'm going to try to teach you is an advanced version of a shield charm, the incantation is therefore longer, but the shield stronger. It is called the Protego Horribilis. It is an advanced defensive spell and therefore also one of Hogwarts many emergency protective enchantments. Say it after me….Protego Horribilis.'

'Protego Horribilis' Harry repeated.

Snape grimaced. 'That would be the easy part, now for the actual spell.'

Snape raised his wand and with what seemed like a slash of a sword moved his wand to create a shield of the brightest purple.

'Your turn Potter, lets see what you can do.'

Harry raised his wand, and clearly said '_Protego Horribilis'_.

A tiny almost liquid substance appeared in front of Harry's wand. Snape tapped it with his wand, and it vanished into purple motes.

'Too tiny, and not solidified' Snape said as if he had not expected anything better. 'But no matter, no matter, I've seen people do worse on their first time attempting this spell.'

'It was pathetic..' Harry said frowning.

'And that is exactly why you are here now.' Snape said. 'Not meaning to discourage, but we are going to continue doing this for at least six months, maybe more.'

Harry gasped and asked the potion master why.

'The first stage is to produce the actual spell, after that we will quicken your wand movement for as much as I think to be possible, after that we will go non verbal until you can do this spell on instinct alone.. Now begin!'

At ten o'clock in the evening Harry left Snapes office. He was exhausted. For two hours he had attempted the shield charm, but only managed to make the liquid form slightly larger. He began to understand why Snape thought he needed six months to do this.

Growling the password, he stepped into the Slytherin common room. Entering his dormitory, he discovered everyone else already sound asleep. He sat on his bed and once more put his wand on his head.

'_Demonstro'_

The evening walks through the castle were now almost a routine for him. He had already discovered two hidden passageways that could come in handy if he would ever be late for class.

Moving from the dungeons into the entry hall, he spotted two figures running up the stairs.

Weasley and Granger.

As he floated nearer, he listened to their conversation.

'Do you really think the thieves who attempted to break into Gringotts were after whatever Hargid took from that vault?' Weasley asked.

'Yes, I'm sure of it. Remember that we saw Hagrid, that day on Diagon Alley, and your dad had a chat with him, and how Hagrid said that he just came from Gringotts, "secret Howarts business"?

"But that doesn't prove that he emptied the vault that was going to be burglarized' Weasley said frowning.

'Common Ron, the way he switched from subjects when you asked, and his face turning red? I'm 100% sure!'

Now that was interesting. Apparently, they had met Hagrid on the same day he did. He remembered seeing the giant man coming out of Gringotts.

Secret Hogwarts Business huh?

He remembered the conversation he caught at his first evening in Howarts.

'_..Brought it from Gringotts Dumbledore' Hagrid whispered. Revealing a small reddish stone, and gave it to the headmaster. _

'_Thanks you Hagrid' the headmaster said equally whispering, and took the stone._

Could that reddish stone be the object that Hagrid had taken from Gringotts that very day, and that was attempted to be stolen that very day as well?

After returning to his body, he went to bed. He would need to discuss this with Draco and the others.

**A/N**

**Okay this was a short chapter compared to the last two, but *yawn*, I'm tired.**

**More updates will come soon (probably during the weekend, and as always, tips are always welcome.**


	4. The broom, the duel and the training

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The broom, the duel and the training**

The next day was specially reserved for flying practise. As Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Rowan walked towards the hall, Harry discussed what he had seen and heard on the nights in question.

'Must be something powerful' Draco whispered, desire shining in his eyes.

'Or dangerous' Nott piped up.

'Maube uts nosing' Crabbe grunted, or at least Harry thought that he said that, it was hard to understand. Goyle nodded his agreement making him look like an ogre even more.

Draco opened his mouth, ready to call Crabbe a fool, for a worthless object would not be stored in a high security vault in Gringotts, but closed it again as they entered the great hall.

After dinner, the Slytherins walked to the courtyard, where they met a bunch of Gryffindors and a few fellow Slytherins.

Their flying instructor, professor Hooch, came walking shortly after that.

Firstly Hooch taught them how to sit properly, before they actually went flying. Harry and Draco, who already knew everything, having practised in the courtyard of Malfoy manor since childhood, thought that this part was especially boring. Surprisingly, Weasley also knew how to sit properly on a broomstick. When Hooch asked how he knew, he proudly said that he and his brothers had practised almost every week.

Draco turned to Harry and Nott.

'You know, I am actually surprised that the Weasleys know how to handle a broom except for cleaning.' Draco said just loud enough for the Weasley to hear.

'I mean, if you have ever seen their house, you would wonder where they get the money to buy brooms anyway.' Draco continued just a little louder.

Harry looked over Draco's shoulder and noticed that the Weasley was turning red.

'Of course, begging is always an option,' Draco continued 'Normally the process is slow of course, but with such a large family, you should indeed have at least one broom after ten years.'

Weasley was now seriously walking towards them, but luckily for Draco, Hooch just turned their way and said that they all had to try to lift off.

After a few minutes, the clumsy Gryffindor whom Harry had gotten to know was called Longbottom had been thrown off his broom. His arm in an unnatural angle.

'Nobody moves while I bring this boy to the hospital wing!'. She yelled across the courtyard, and left with the Gryffindor in her arms.

Hanging suspended in midair, Harry and Draco once again slumping over their brooms in pure boredom, when suddenly Weasley crashed into them with one of the school brooms. His face contorted in anger.

With a start, Harry realised that je was far higher than he had imagined, and even worse, he wouldn't be in time to catch his broomstick. With a desperate cry, Harry fell off his broom, plummeting to the earth.

Suddenly everything moved in slow motion.

Pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the now falling broomstick.

'_Accio' _Harry cried.

Turning from falling speed, to top speed, the broom sped to Harry's falling body.

Anger filled him. If we was to die by falling to death, then Weasley would share his fate!

He pointed his wand at Weasley, who looked at him with what looked to be a mixture of pity and regret. This did not stop Harry however.

'V_erdimillious' _

A yet of green sparks burst from his wand and shot towards where Weasley was still hanging in midair. Exploding near his face into more sparks.

Weasley lost his balance, and also tumbled from his broom.

Harry's broom was now almost within his reach, and so was the ground.

Harry's hand closed around the broom, and with a turn launched himself into sitting position of the broom and threw all his weight into the rear, in an attempt to grow level again.

Just before the ground, his broom made a swift dive, making Harry's toes touch the blades of the grass below him. He was safe.

Draco, who had also not really fallen from his broom, had just managed to climb on again, having watched the incident holding his broom with one hand.

Harry made the broom halt, stepped off, and looked around for what happened to Weasley.

Granger had saved him with a hover charm..

Anger...no ….murderous intent engulfed Harry.

He pointed his wand at Granger.

'_Impedimenta'_

Granger was thrown backwards, with Harry swiftly taking control of the hover charm.

He made his victim crash into the ground with a wave of his wand, and made him fly over their heads in the direction professor Hooch had just left to make him crash into the ground once more.

Raising his helpless victim once more into the air, Harry muttered.

'_Incendio_'

Flames engulfed Weasley, but after a few seconds, they vanished again.

Professor McGonagall, accompanied by professor Snape were running towards them, both had their wands drawn.

Harry realised that resistance was useless, and pocketed his wand.

'What in the name of Merlin do you think you are doing Potter?!' McGonagall shrieked.

'Weas-' Harry began, but Snape intervened.

'Potter, Malfoy' he said coldly 'come with me'.

'Weasley, you will accompany me to the hospital wing, and after that we too shall discuss your punishment. We saw everything from the window, and we know that you are not innocent either.' McGonagall said coldly

Draco landed next to Harry, and both followed Snape to his office.

'You already know that McGonagall and myself personally saw what happened in that courtyard, so I don't need to hear your stories,' Snape began. 'Draco, you, being the one that taunted Weasley, will do lines for me this week, Potter, you being the one that might have seriously injured Weasley, will come to do detention with me every day until the end of the school year.' Harry gasped, but Snape continued. 'Every evening Potter, eight o'clock.' He finished with a small smile.

Outrage turned into pure shock! Snape hadn't giving him any punishment at all. All that he had given Harry was a reminder that he had to train with him every evening. It only looked like a truly severe punishment to everyone who did not know that Harry and Snape practised everyday, which was everyone except Harry, Draco, Nott, Rowan and Snape himself.

'I understand sir,' Harry and Draco said.

'Good' Snape said. 'Potter I will see you in the evening, Draco you will get a message about when your lines are scheduled.

'Now on a side note' Snape said before they could turn away. 'Potter, even McGonagall had admitted that that dive was spectacular, therefore I will arrange something with the headmaster, to see if we can put you in the Slytherin quidditch team as a chaser. Malfoy, I already know that your skills in quidditch are maybe as good as Harry's, maybe even better, but I'm afraid that your chance will be in the next year. The team is full now.'

Harry had expected his friend to be angry about Snapes quidditch decision, but instead his friend smashed him on the back, and congratulated him, saying that he preferred to have some free time anyway. Together, they went to the great hall, to meet up with their friends and to eat.

News of their flying practise spread through the school, and so did Harry's punishment.

Even other Slytherins laughed at him, for getting probably the worst punishment except for being kicked out of school, but Harry couldn't care. They didn't know the truth of it, and he wasn't going to tell them.

It turned out that Snape had discussed with McGonagall about how he considered this to be a very serious case, and insisted that Weasley shared Harry's punishment. Weasley too, now had detention for the rest of the year, but Harry doubted that his would also contain private practise. Draco wasn't so satisfied though.

When Draco returned to the common room, he had apparently challenged Weasley to a midnight wizarding duel, at the trophy hall.

'I think I'm just going to give Filch an anonymous tip that some students are going to wander around the trophy room tonight.' Draco said with an evil grin.

'After all, Gryffindors are way too brave to let such a challenge pass by'.

Five minutes before midnight, Harry, Draco, Nott and Rowan sat in the first years dormitory. Crabbe and Goyle, not having mastered the scrying spell, had finally reached the point of intellect that made them realise that they would not be of any use here tonight and had gone to bed already.

As one, the four Slytherins aimed their wands at their foreheads and in unison whispered the scrying spell.

'_Demonstro'_

Four incorporeal beings left their bodies and sped to the Gryffindor tower. After a few minutes, Weasley and the Granger girl left the tower. Had Draco planned that she would come along? Or had Weasley made her come along?

'I cant believe it' The spiritual form of the just recognisable Draco Malfoy said. 'They are actually going to do it.'

'Wasn't that your plan all along?' Harry asked frowning.

'To be really honest even I had not expected that they would really leave their common room' Rowan said.

'Common hurry, we are losing them if we keep talking! Nott furiously whispered from a corner.'

The four incorporeal Slytherins followed the Gryffindors to where they met Longbottom, who had been lying on the floor for some weird reason to the trophy room, where the Gryffindors waited for the Slytherins, and the Slytherins waited for Filch.

Filch didn't take long. After ten minutes of waiting, and a few complaints from the Weasley, Filch's shadow appeared at the door.

Granger had seen it too, for she was now furiously ushering Longbottom and Weasley to the other exit.

Invisible to all except the Slytherins, the four and the visible Filch went in pursuit.

Harry had to give it to them, they were running fast.

They outran Filch, and even outran Nott in his incorporeal form, but Harry, Draco, and Rowan kept up.

The three saw how the Gryffindors fled to the forbidden third floor, and what they saw there.

A giant three headed dog waited for them.

Out of pure instinct, Harry and Rowan reached into their incorporeal robes, pulled out their wands and cast a shield charm, breaking the scrying spell.

Harry and Rowan returned to the dormitory, where Nott was anxiously waiting for them.

'Couldn't keep up…' He muttered 'not used to running….So what happened'

'Accidentally broke the spell' Rowan muttered. 'I think Draco is still in there'.

After a few more moments, Draco too appeared.

'They left unscathed, and where not seen as they returned to Gryffindor tower' Nott moaned disappointedly. 'However' Draco continued 'That dog was standing on something. A trapdoor to be exact.. It is guarding something.' He finished.

'Guarding something?' Harry frowned?

'Obviously the stone you mentioned.' Rowan said indifferently. 'Personally I thought that they'd keep it in Dumbledore's office, but this makes a huge difference in protection.'

Harry and Draco nodded their agreement, Nott having fallen asleep with his clothes still on.

The weeks and days passed to the night before Halloween. Harry sat kneeling in Snape's office. Two months of intensive every night training had produced a shield charm that not even Snape could break through, but he was still slow. They had only just begun with the improvement of his wand speed. Time after time, he did and redid the wand movement for the protective spell, with Snape as a silent observer. His arm felt tired from stretching, moving and dropping. It felt as if his arm could fall off any moment.

'Repeat the wand movement Potter' Snape said softly.

When Harry did not respond, he shot a stinging hex at his shoulder. The pain stung Harry, but was not unfamiliar. It had been one of Lucius's favourite training methods.

Five more times did Harry repeat his exercise before his arm failed him again. Snape raised his wand again, but this time Harry was rescued by a knock on the door.

'To your seat Potter' Snape said softly.

The room was crowded with boxes and loose sheets. This was to be Harry's detention. Sorting.

Every time a teacher or student entered, Harry had to act like he was having detentions to make it all more realistic.

It was Hagrid.

'Snape' Hagrid said as if in a hurry. 'I need an ehm restorative potion, medication…for a unicorn' Hagrid added when Snape raised his eyebrows.

'It is wounded' Hagrid added as if that would be of any more importance.

'Ill see what I can do' Snape said coolly.

Snape walked to his private storage room, and a few moments later emerged with a vial filled with a red liquid.

'This should do the trick' Snape said, handing over the vial.

'Thanks' Hagrid muttered, taking great care not the squash the little vial, and with that he abruptly left.

'Right Potter, back to work, still ten minutes left.' Snape said drawing his wand again.


	5. Halloween

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Halloween**

Also taking more and more of his free time was Quidditch. Next morning, the Slytherin quidditch captain, Marcus Flint, had promptly kicked out a boy called Adrian Pucey to be replaced by Harry, who was in his eyes, a natural.

During training, Harry practised evasive movements and his throwing ability. Harry did not have a broom, but for the time being was allowed to use a school broom.

Aside from the fact that Harry's broom was in a bad condition, Flint was still impressed. Harry had so far managed to evade Flint himself, the other chaser, Montague, and the beaters, Derrick and Bole who acted as additional chasers, in order to make it harder for Harry. During that test, Harry had scored one goal, something to be proud of, Flint said, for he had evaded four people who were only focussing on him and even managed to get passed the keeper.

Everyone was convinced that Slytherin would once again, win the quidditch cup.

An even greater surprise was awaiting Harry when he met Draco in the great hall during lunch.

'I send dad a letter about how you got on the Slytherin quidditch team, and he says that he is really proud. He send something appropriate to your dormitory, to show you exactly how proud.' Draco said, with a gleam in his eyes that told that he already know what this gift exactly was.

When Harry entered his dormitory, a pack was waiting for him on his bed. Already thinking to know what was inside the pack, Harry ripped open the packet, and revealed a new shiny broom.

'It is a nimbus 2000, the fastest broom at the moment' Draco said whispering next to him. Harry did not hear him. He had only eyes for the perfect broom in his hands. Everything, about it was perfect, and he just had to try it.

Harry turned around to see Nott, who was standing in the doorway, his mouth agape.

'Ah, Nott' Harry said happily. 'Do me a favour and find Marcus Flint for me and tell him to come to professor Snape's office. Nott immediately rose and went to the great hall, where Flint was very likely to be at this moment.

Harry motioned Draco to follow him to Snape's office.

After they arrived at Snape's office, they waited for Flint to arrive. They did not have to wait long, after a few moments, a fuming Flint walked around the corner, Nott on his heals.

'What is this about Potter?' He said looked enormously agitated for some reason. 'This better be import-' He stopped in his track when he saw what Harry was holding.

'It's a nimbus 2000' Harry said looking at his face. 'We want to go practising, but we first need to remove a few Ravenclaws from the quidditch pitch. That is why you are here to ask permission from professor Snape.

Nodding eagerly, Flint entered the office.

A few moments later, he walked out again, holding a signed paper that would allow them to practise.

Harry walked into the quidditch pitch, accompanied by Draco, Flint and Nott.

The Ravenclaws noticed them, and soon their captain, Roger Davies, flew towards them.

'What are you doing here Flint?' he asked with a frown. 'I have reserved the pitch for today.'

'Not anymore' Flint said with a smirk. 'We have special permission' he finished giving Davies the note from professor Snape.

When his team gathered around him, Davies read out loud.

'_I professor Snape, hereby give the Slytherin quidditch team permission to train in order to practise with their new chaser.'_ He finished. 'I see you have a new chaser.. who?'

Flint, Draco and Nott took a step backwards, leaving Harry standing slightly to the front, holding his broom next to his body so that the shiny golden letters of "_Nimbus 2000" _where clearly visible.

'I see…'Davies said, a troubled look clouding his face. He tried to hide this, but his voice, which was as troubled as his face, betrayed him.

'Then by all means' he said with what was supposed to be a cheerful grin 'Go ahead.' And with that, he ushered his teammates off the field with wide swipes of his arm as if he was trying to save his team from impending doom.

Harry waited until the Ravenclaws were gone, then mounted his broom, and pushed.

The feeling was wonderful. It was like he was a feather caught in a breeze, and he was in control. The broom immediately responded to all his command, and the speed was just incredible!

Malfoy and Flint each took a broom, and tried to tackle him while he was holding the quaffle. Not really surprised, Harry discovered that the school brooms were no match for the Nimbus, and he could easily evade them and score.

When they returned to the castle, Harry felt enlightened. Surely they would win the quidditch cup this year. But with a pang, those feelings vanished. He still had training with Snape, and after an almost complete day of quidditch, leaving his entire body exhausted, Harry knew that it was going to be stingy.

But before that, A special Halloween dinner would be served in the great hall. When they entered, Harry's mouth fell open.

Swarms of bats were flying or decorating the great hall, and the candles had been replaced by glowing Jack o'Lanterns. Once again, the golden plates filled with food, but before Harry could take a single bite, professor Quirrell burst into the great hall.

'TROOO-OL!!' he yelled across the entire hall. 'Troll in the dungeons!!' He halted in the middle of the hall.

'I thought you'd wanted to know' he said with a high pitched voice, and abruptly fainted.

Chaos filled the hall, but after the headmaster had made several purple roaring flames appear in the air above their heads, silence once again returned.

'Prefects' the aged headmaster said calmly, 'take your students back to their dormitories, teachers, follow me'.

Everyone swiftly rose and went to their prefects.

Draco however, was not so calm.

'I wont let that troll beat me to pulp! Lets take the secret passageway behind the portrait of Malcolm the mad, it almost straightly leads to our dormitory.' Nott, Crabbe and Goyle vehemently nodded their agreement. Even they knew that they would be no match against a troll.

Swiftly parting themselves from the group, Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Rowan, Nott and surprisingly, Flint, ran to the portrait of Malcolm the mad. However, before they could reach it, a stench filled their noses, and the troll came into view, making his way to the girls toilets, from which someone was screaming like a banshee. Somebody in there had probably seen the troll and had fled inside.

'Mbey it hasunt seen us' Goyle said a little too loudly, for the troll suddenly spun and faced the group. It roared and charged at them, club held high.

It took a moment before the group, to get out of their shock, Harry being the first.

'GET BEHIND ME!! Harry yelled. The group eagerly obeyed, nobody wanting to die by the troll's club first.

'_Protego Horribilis' _Harry cried, just as the troll swung his giant club.

The impact made Harry stumble backwards and land on his back. His shield shattered, but it had done its work. It had stopped the trolls first blow. Rising, Harry raised his wand to cast another shield charm, when suddenly he felt an enormous pain in his chest, and he flew through the hallway, the troll had kicked him instead of hitting him with the club.

'Get Harry back up his feet!' Rowan yelled to Crabbe and Goyle while raising his own wand.

'_Fumos' _ Rowan cried.

Smoke filled the corridor, blocking the trolls view. Enraged, the troll charged forward in an attempt to hit anything at all.

'Cling to the sides!' Harry cried while being hauled to his feet by Crabbe and Goyle.

The seven Slytherins clung to the sides and ran past the troll, who still could not see because of the smoke.

The seven Slytherins reassembled behind the troll.

'Form a line!' Harry cried. 'combine a hurling hex, we must knock it out.'

Surprisingly, everyone obeyed, the Slytherins now forming a seven man line in the corridor.

'On the count of three' Rowan muttered as the troll realised his preys were behind him.

'one..' the troll took a step. 'two…' the troll took another step 'THREE!'

As one man, Harry who was still a bit dizzy, Draco, who looked paler than usual but determined, Flint, who had the obviously look on his face for not wanting to be there (for which Harry could not blame him), Nott, who looked ready to flee at any moment, Rowan, who looked only determined, Crabbe, who was muttering something unintelligible, and Goyle, who had a troubled expression on his face, yelled.

'_EVERTE STATUM!'_

The combined spell did what single spells could never have accomplished. The troll was thrown across the corridor and smashed into where the corridor turned right.

What looked like a stunning victory turned to anguish as the troll rose, took his club and began charging again.

'Impediment jinx' Draco offered.

'Yeah, that'd do it' Flint muttered who was now obviously feeling more saver, having just thrown a troll into a wall.

'Count of three' Rowan once more announced.

'One...' The troll roared in anger, 'Two….' The troll began sprinting towards them making the halls shake. 'THREE!'

'_IMPEDIMENTA!!' _The seven voiced cried.

The troll collided with the spells after having cut through half of the intervening space. It flew once more backwards, and once more into the wall, but this time, it went through it, part of the wall collapsing on top of his body.

The seven moved towards the body of the troll, which was not moving.

Harry raised his wand and muttered '_Glacius'_ Turning the floor around the troll to ice.

'If anyone sees movement, yell' Harry said to the seven while walking. 'If you hear one of us yell, everyone do another impediment jinx,' Harry said. 'though I think we wont be needing it'. Up close, the troll looked even more horrific than from afar, except now, blood was tickling down his skull and chest, and spots of what Harry heard Nott murmur to be an internal bleeding appeared on his skin as well.

'I think its dead' Draco muttered in disgust.

'I agree' Harry and Rowan said at the same time.

Footsteps made the seven Slytherins turn around. The teachers had finally arrived, surprisingly late, looking at the commotion they had caused.

McGonagalls eyes seemed to pop out of her head, looking at the corpse of the dead troll, an amusing sight. Snape, looked at the Slytherins appreciatively, and was no doubt secretly proud that they belonged to his house while Quirrell looked ready to pass away any given moment. Sprout looked strangely at the troll, while Flitwick looked as if he could not believe the damage they had caused. Sybill Trelawny was furiously shuffling some cards, and professor Sinistra, the astronomy teacher, had already ignored the troll and was now looking to the stars from a window. Dumbledore merely smiled at the Slytherins with a friendly twinkle in his eyes.

'What exactly are you doing here?' McGonagall asked coldly.

'Attempting to reach the passageway of Malcolm the mad' Harry said boldly.

'Then that was very stupid of you' McGonagall said coldly. 'I hereby take twenty poi-''I'm sorry Minerva' Snape interrupted drily, but I think that as they are in my house, I get to punishment, you know from last time punishing this boy that my punishments are good enough.' Snape pointed behind McGonagall. 'You would do better to see to your student whom mines were just saving.' He finished coldly.

Everyone turned to where Snape was pointing.

Granger, had just come shuffling out of the girls bathroom. Shock still painting her face.

With a swish of tartan, McGonagall swept to Granger, took her by the arm and almost dragged her in the general direction of the hospital wing.

Suddenly a stab of pain shot through Harry's chest. Cautiously touching, and winching at the pain, Harry drew his conclusion.

At least one of his ribs had been fractured.

Darkness took him, and he felt himself falling towards the floor, the last he saw surprisingly being Flint, who attempted to grab him before he fell face down on the floor.

Harry awoke in the hospital wing. He touched his ribs, and discovered that they had completely mended. Reaching for his glasses, he noticed three people standing at his bed.

Draco, Rowan and Snape.

'How long have I been out?' Harry asked.

'A day' Snape said emotionlessly.

Harry sighed. 'I guess there's no helping it.'

Harry stepped out of bed, and got dressed.

'What happened when I was out?' he asked to the people at his bed in general.

'Dumbledore disposed of the troll' Draco said. 'No idea what he did with it.'

'Flitwick repaired the damage we did to the castle' Snape said indifferently.

'and Snape awarded each of us twenty points for defeating a possible threat to the inhabitants of Hogwarts' Rowan finished with a smile.

'Did anyone else get hurt?' Harry inquired.

It was Snape who answered.

'No, but none of the others stood and faced a troll.' Snape smiled one of his rare smiles. 'I must say that you learn fast Potter. Only a perfect shield could've held a troll with a club like that, although if you could've don't it nonverbally, you might've gotten out of his range before he kicked your ribs to bits. I expect you in my office tonight again'.

'I understand sir' Harry said.

'The headmaster has officially granted you exactly half a day off,' Snape said while Harry made to leave the hospital wing. 'I suggest that you go to bed, having slept a day, I wouldn't be surprised if your still tired.'

Surprisingly, Harry noticed that Snape was right.

**A/N : I expect some more reviews this time, as well as maybe some tips for how I can improve or how you want certain things to work out. Remember, I'm trying to follow the official version of Harry Potter and the philosopher stone, just changing it a bit, so you actually kinda know what is going to happen, only not how it is going to happen.**

**P.S**

**For everyone who does not get the function of all the spells I use: ****.com/wiki/List_of_spells**** is a great link, this is also where I get all my spells.**


	6. Quidditch

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

It began to grow colder as of November. The lake turned to cold grey steel and the earth around the castle began to grow colder because of the freezing temperatures and a small blanket of white snow,.

The Quidditch season had begun as well. After weeks of training, Harry's first match grew near.

Nobody had seen harry flying yet, except the people in his team, and maybe a few Ravenclaws when Harry first flew on his _nimbus 2000_ for Flint had decided that Harry was supposed to be their secret attack force.

Harry, Draco, Nott, Rowan, and Flint were walking towards the castle after an especially tiring Quidditch practise, with Draco, Nott and Rowan as faithful green-silver clad supporters.

The road back to Hogwarts was hard and a bit slippery, causing all five of them to stumble at least once. Once they entered the courtyard of the magnificent in snow bathed castle, the saw to their amusement, professor Snape reprimanding Weasley and Granger for having a library book outside of the castle. When Snape left the two fuming Gryffindors in the snow, Harry noticed that the head of their house was limping. Catching the eyes of his fellow Slytherins, Harry knew that they had seen it too.

Catching up with the bat like potion master, Harry asked him why he was limping.

'That is none of your concern, is it now Potter?' Snape said coldly. Apparently, he was in a particularly foul mood. Stopping in his tracks to frown at the potion master, Harry saw the cloak of the black robed professor swirl slightly as he turned right into a corridor, in a flash of light revealing a blood soaked leg.

When confronting his friends about what he had seen, he saw that none of them even had a clue of what could have happened, although Rowan remarked that it was not unusual, for Snape had been limping since Halloween.

'I think…' Harry said wondering, 'that we need to visit our Gryffindor friends again.' His friends smiled manically. 'not physically visiting them mind.' Harry said noticing the expressions of his friends. 'I'm sure that at least the Granger girl is sharp enough to have seen it too. With a small bit of luck, they have their own uninfluenced view of what happened to professor Snape.'

After their classes, the five realised that they had a mountain of homework to do, and because Harry did not want to leave the Gryffindors unguarded, they decided that they would take turns watching them.

Minutes passed, hours passed, until finally Flint returned with news.

'I wouldn't be surprised if they made Weasley redo this year' he said sneering. 'The level of his intelligence is way below average.'

'Did you discover something Flint?' Draco inquired.

'Yes' Flint said victoriously. Suddenly everyone was paying attention to him as he made his report. 'It is as you said Potter, Granger saw the wound as well, and reckons that he tried to pass some three headed hound on the third floor, while the castle was in full commotion because of the troll. She also says that it was Snape who allowed the troll entrance and that he tried to steal whatever that giant oaf Hagrid removed from Gringotts.'

'If Snape would want it, it would make you wonder what it is' Rowan said frowning.

'Both of them did not know it, I made sure I would not have missed that if they mentioned it.'

'We know that the object is small and red' Draco said looking to Harry for a confirmation. When Harry nodded he continued.

'If someone like Snape would want it -I don't say that he does, for I don't believe that Snape tried to steal the object-, it would at least be powerful.'

'I don't think it is dangerous, as we first thought to be' Nott said piping up. 'More like a magnifying device or something of the like.'

The five continued their speculations until dinner, after which Harry immediately continued to the cold dungeons for his everyday practise. The cold outside also affected the dungeons below the castle, turning it into an even more solid underground maze. Harry had made progress during these lessons, with Snape praising him for learning fast. Harry, according to Snape, had reached his limit to wand speed, faster than he ever imagined. Lying ahead of schedule, Harry now had three months to master non verbal instead of two. He entered the cold, with boxes filled office, and spotted Snape sitting behind his desk.

'Ah Potter, good that you're here. We are starting the non verbal addition to the shield charm, as I mentioned in our last lesson.'

'I remember sir,' Harry said.

'Good.' Snape said appreciatively. 'The essence of non verbal spells is concentration. If your concentration wavers, you cannot perform the spell. Therefore you will empty your mind of all emotions, and close your eyes in order to prevent you from being distracted in any way.'

Harry closed his eyes, and tried to empty himself of all emotions. It proved harder than he had imagined. He stood there, in the with boxes filled classroom, trying to clear his mind of everything except the spell.

He raised his wand, and concentrated.

'_Protego Horribilis' _Harry thought in his head.

A small near liquid substance appeared once more in front of his wand. It was even more pathetic than when he had first tried to use the spell with saying the incantation out loud.

'Not enough concentration Potter. Discipline, your mind! Again!'

It had been even worse than the very first lesson he had had in that office.

Harry thought back to that very first lesson.

_Harry raised his wand, and clearly said 'Protego Horribilis'. _

_A tiny almost liquid substance appeared in front of Harry's wand. Snape tapped it with his wand, and it vanished into purple motes._

'_Too tiny, and not solidified' Snape said as if he had not expected anything better. 'But no matter, no matter, I've seen people do worse on their first time attempting this spell.'_

'_It was pathetic..' Harry said frowning._

'_And that is exactly why you are here now.' Snape said_

This lesson however, he had not even managed the slightest improvement. His spell had remained to be the tiny almost liquid substance that shattered at the smallest touch.

'_No matter, no matter' _Snape had once again said. He fully believed that he could do it within three months. Sadly, Harry did not share those thoughts.

Sighing he went to the Slytherin common room, from where he immediately continued to his dormitory. The green coloured lamps giving a soft, faint glow at his approach. The others were already asleep, green bed curtains closed at every bed except at his. Climbing out of his school robes, Harry also went to bed, thinking about Snape, the small red stone and his first Quidditch match that would begin tomorrow.

The next morning was clear but also freezing cold. The great hall however, was warm and filled with delicious smells that varied from bacon to sausages. It was a relief compared to the cold stone from the dungeons.

Despite the delicious smells, Harry could not bring himself to eat.

'You must eat something Harry' Draco said, while filling his plate with delicious looking sausages.

'Not hungry…' Harry said stiffly.

'I see' Draco said frowning, and left the Slytherin table to return a few moments later, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, whom Harry realised, he had not seen in some time. The giant bodyguard looking boys flanked the pale blond who was smiling confidently.

When they reached him however, the two ogre sized boys began thumping him on the back, and not so softly at that.

'If you eat, I'll tell them to stop' Draco said grinning.

'Okay, okay AH, getting it, AH, eating now' Harry managed with Crabbe and Goyle still pounding on his back.

'Okay, relax boys' Draco said smiling slightly to Crabbe and Goyle.

'You will need everything you eat here Harry,' Draco said sternly. 'You will keep the other houses from winning the Quidditch cup, even if I have to pound you to the size of a sausage at the beginning of every match.'

His back still aching and stinging from Crabbe and Goyle's "persuasion" Harry and the rest of his team moved to the dressing rooms. Where they donned their green coloured Quidditch uniforms.

'Okay people, sit down.' Flint said, emerging from the captains office. When everybody sat, Flint nodded. 'We have held this cup for the last seven years.' He said pointing outside to the Quidditch field. 'And that is because we are the best! I know that right now, Oliver Wood is trying to talk his team into winning, but we all know that it takes a little more than that! Skills! Skills and the courage to use them is what is needed at Quidditch!' The team roared at that. 'Now.. brave as these Gryffindors are, we know that they wont attempt any dirty tricks. But that doesn't stop us from doing it to them!' The team roared again. 'The last thing I will say to you people is this: The entire school is going to watch you all, but it is professor Hooch that we need to watch. I don't care if professor Dumbledore himself sees any of you killing someone, but as long as Hooch does not see it, we will be the winners in this game! Now, lets beat those brave Gryffindors, for we KNOW that we are better!' The team roared once again, this time the loudest roar yet.

Everybody took their brooms, left the dressing rooms, and walked to the field.

Cold wind swept past Harry's hair and face. The sun was shining making the entire field and air clear, but November still made it cold. Harry could see the mountains to the north, and Hogsmeade to the west. He saw the stands that were coloured in the four colours of the houses, and while he could not make out any faces, he saw the people at the green stand of Slytherin cheering as if their lives depended on it.

It looked like Flint had been right. All the stands where full of people, and it seemed that everyone had come to watch the first game of the year. As they walked to the middle of the field, Harry spotted the Gryffindor team on the other side of the field. Their red and gold Quidditch uniforms glistering in the November sun.

The two teams met in the middle of the field, where professor Hooch met them.

'Now..' She began. 'I want a nice, clean game. From all of you' she added while looking at the Slytherins. 'Captains, shake hands.' Hooch ordered.

Harry saw that Flint was trying to crush the hands of Oliver Wood, but surprisingly, he held his ground.

Professor Hooch took the Quaffle. Harry and everyone else at the field mounted their brooms. The keepers speeding to their posts, and the seekers flying high above the field.

Hooch threw the Quaffle in the air, and Harry kick off as fast as he could, snatching the Quaffle out of the air, before a surprised girl Harry knew to be called Allicia Spinnet.

'and they are off!' A voice boomed through the stadium 'Potter is in possession of the Quaffle, looks to be a fine catch, not surprisingly as he nearly killed a Weasley while gaining that position or so I heard'

'JORDAN' professor McGonagall yelled.

'Sorry professor' the commenter said. 'As I said, Potter is in possession of the Quaffle, with Spinnet, Johnson and Bell at his tail- NICE Bludger from George Weasley, or is it Fred, I can never really tell. Potter passes to Flint, Flint in possession of the Quafle. Flint passes to Montague, Montague passes back to Flint, Flint passes to Potter, Potter nears the goals STOP HIM WOOD!

The Gryffindor stand groaned. Harry had passed by the rings and had thrown the Quaffle back to Montague in the last second, who had had an open ring before him as Wood had been following Harry.

Harry zigzagged across the field. It was 10-0. Spinnet had the Quaffle. Harry, Montague and Flint in pursuit. Harry saw Derrek, one of the beaters, smash a Bludger at her, forcing her to dodge. A second later, Montague had crashed next to her, snatched the Quaffle from our for her hands, and passed it to Harry, who immediately turned and sprinted to the Gryffindor goals again. From the corner of his eye Harry spotted a black shadow coming towards him. A Bludger. Harry dove just in time to avoid a splitting of his skull. He rose again and found himself side by side with two Gryffindor chasers. Avoiding their snatching hands, Harry rose even more, and passed the Gryffindor goals. He threw the Quaffle at Flint who had remained behind the Gryffindor goal hoops. Flint flew through the Gryffindor hoop, and threw the Quaffle backwards into the hoop he had just flown through. It was 20-0.

'Johnson in possession of the Quaffle, amazing girl that is,-JORDAN! Keep focussed on the game!' McGonagall loudly interrupted.

'Sorry professor. Johnson is still in possession of he Quaffle, passes to Spinnet, who passes to Bell, back to Johnson, nice dodge there, Johnson dodges a Bludger, evades Montague and dodges Potter, she throws!' The Gryffindor stands awwed. The keeper, Bletchley had saved it.

'Potter in possession of the Quaffle, dodges a Bludger, passes to Montague, OUCH that should've hurt! Montague had been hit by a Bludger. Full-face. He was out of the game.

'Bell in possession of the Quaffle, stolen by Potter, Potter in possession of the Quaffle. Potter dodges Spinnet, dodges Johnson, hey, that boy has talent!'

'Potter nears the goals, passes to behind the goals to Flint, is Flint going to score? Apparently not, Flint passes back to Potter, Potter back to Flint, Flint to Potter, Potter once more back to Flint, it looks as if they are trying to confuse the Gryffindor Keeper, where are you beaters Gryffindor?' The commentator asked the stadium in general.

'Flint back to Potter, Potter dodges Spinnet, dodges a Bludger, passes back to Flint, Flint dodges Johnson, dodges Bell, passes to- no Flint does not pass to Potter, Flint flies under the goals, can Wood still stop him?'

'NO FAIR' The commentator yelled across the stadium. Flint had thrown the Quaffle directly into the face of Oliver Wood, and had thrown it hard.

Hooch whistled. Free shot for Gryffindor.

'Johnson takes the shot' the commentator informed the public.

'SHE SCORES!! It is 20-10, Potter in possession of the Quaffle.

Then Harry saw a small golden flash, immediately followed by the two seekers from both teams. Harry caught the attention of Derrick and Bole, the Slytherin beaters, and pointed to the two seekers, now racing behind the golden snitch.

The three went in pursuit, the Gryffindor chasers and beaters at their tails.

When close enough, Harry gathered all his strength, and with a cry, threw the Quaffle with all his might to the Gryffindor seeker. He noticed it, and probably thought it to be a Bludger, for he dodged it. A real Bludger was smashed into his direction, but he managed to evade that one too. Barely. When the second real Bludger was smashed into his direction, it caught the seeker hard on his back, making him stumble to the front of his broom, sending his broom in an almost vertical dive to the ground. With a great smack, the Gryffindor seeker crashed into the ground, and at the same time, the Slytherin seeker rose into the air, a small, tiny, golden ball clenched in his fist. They had won.

**A/N Phew that was a tough one, especially the Quidditch match, let me all know if you prefer Harry's view on the game or Lee Jordan's (the commentator). For everyone who did not notice, I tried to use a more detailed writing style after a friend of mine advised me to, so I would also like you all to review on that if you noticed it, or/and if liked it compared to my earlier chapters.**


	7. Christmas Holiday

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Christmas holiday**

November passed into December. The lake remained to be a block of cold gray steel but the snowfall increased. Halfway into December, the students of Hogwarts found the landscape around them covered in half a meter of pure white snow. Snowstorms and cold winds delayed the owl deliveries, that appeared every morning, and the owls themselves had to rest at Hagrids before they could make the flight back.

Everyone waited with impatience for the Christmas holiday to come, and although green fires roared in the Slytherin common room, the hallways in he castle were freezing cold and the classroom windows were frozen shut.

The worst of all, even though Harry hated to admit it, were the potion classes.

Snape had absolutely refused to lit any fires except for under their cauldrons, therefore turning the breaths of the students into cloudy vapour.

'Normally I would go home, but of course _some _Slytherins must remain at Hogwarts to show the other students that their superiors still wander the halls' Draco said arrogantly. His feeling of superiority had only increased after the successful Quidditch match.

'Even though I could go home, I'm really pitying the people who have to stay at Hogwarts because their parents don't want them.' Draco continued, looking at Weasley who was sitting a few tables away, accompanied by Longbottom.

Weasley turned a little bit red but did as if he had not heard that last comment.

When Harry left the dungeons with Draco, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle, he was in a particularly foul mood. He was cold, and Snape had marked his potion as merely 'passable', no wonder if he was trying to make a potion with a scarf and gloves covering his body.

Removing the scarf and gloves in the freezing dungeon would have made his hands fall off, he was sure of that.

When the corridor was blocked by what appeared to be a giant horizontal Christmas tree, his foul mood turned even worse. Behind the tree, a panting Hagrid was trying his best to move the tree to the great hall.

'Can you please remove that thing please, you're blocking the corridor' Harry said icily.

'Need any help Hagrid?' Weasley had just shown up.

'No Weasley he doesn't have any money so he cant pay you' Draco said nastily, heavily affected with his friends mood.

'Why you-' Weasley turned red once again and seized Draco's robes.

'WEASLEY'

Weasley released Draco.

Snape had just left the dungeons.

'He was provoked professor,' Hagrid said.

'That can be, however, as I have not seen that, I cant reprimand them on your word alone' Snape said drily. 'However I HAVE seen Weasley assaulting one of my house, which gives me a perfect right to withdraw five points from Gryffindor.' Weasley turned into an even deeper shade of red. 'Now move along Weasley.' Snape said, drawing his wand and pointing it at the Christmas tree, which rocketed into the great hall.

Fuming, Weasley stormed past him, with surprisingly Longbottom at his heels. Harry had not even noticed the black haired boy who had been standing behind Weasley. That wouldn't do. He promised himself to better watch his surroundings next time and followed Weasley into the great hall, accompanied by Draco, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle, the last two looking slightly disappointed for they had missed the chance of beating a Gryffindor to pulp.

The great hall was a marvellous sight to behold. Everywhere hung mistletoes and twelve giant

Christmas trees decorated the corners and centre of the hall. Some trees held hundreds of small candles, while others were decorated with golden balls or enlarged ice crystals. As they neared his usual seat at the green coloured Slytherin table, Harry felt a small nudge in his leg.

Rowan, who had been sitting there without Harry noticing had nudged him.

He whispered, pointing at Granger, Weasley and Hagrid, who were talking at the Gryffindor table. Harry sat and did his best to eavesdrop on their conversation. The great hall however was crowded and it was surprising that Rowan could have heard enough to have labelled their conversation as 'interesting'.

'I cant hear a thing' Harry said irritated. 'Keep me occupied,' he said to Rowan, Nott and Draco. Harry took out his wand, and muttered '_Demonstro'_.

Harry left his body, and glanced backwards to see Draco, Nott and Rowan seizing his numb body before it could fall headfirst into their lunch.

Harry floated to the Gryffindors until he was literally standing next to Hagrid.

'..What?!' he heard Hagrid say to Granger. 'hear now, I told you that it is none of your business what that dog is guarding.'

'We only want to know who Flamel is' Granger said almost pleading.

'Or you should tell us now, it would save us a lot of trouble' Weasley had hopefully.

'We already had hundreds of library books but we still cant find him.'

'I'm not saying anything' Hagrid said shortly.

'That we will have to figure it out by ourselves' Granger said rather cheerfully.

The two left for the library, leaving a disgruntled Hagrid behind.

'_finite' _Harry muttered.

Harry once again merged with his body.

'I'm telling you' Draco said. 'Next time you do that I'm letting you fall headfirst into your food, no matter how people might look'

'Thank you Draco' Harry said grinning 'I owe you one'.

Leaving Draco to mutter by himself, Harry told what he had heard.

'Flamel…Flamel, never head of him before' Rowan said frowning.

'I have never heard of it either' Nott said looking sullen.

Draco merely shook his head.

'I huve' Goyle grunted.

Everyone was suddenly alert, and waiting for Goyle to speak.

'Isunt flame the thing in thu fireplace?'

Silence followed his words. What could they possibly say to that.

The five Slytherins turned towards their lunch, Draco even calling Goyle an idiot.

When the Christmas holiday had arrived, Draco, Harry and Rowan almost had the entire common room for them alone, as most of the Slytherins had gone home. They passed the time with roasting marshmallows in the green Slytherin fires, and playing wizard's chess. Rowan proved to be very good at it, and beat Harry and Draco easily. When Harry went to bed, he was already anxious for the giant mountain of presents he was hoping to get. Smiling he fell asleep.

The next morning, a pile of presents had indeed been piled up at the end of his bed. He looked over at Draco who was still sound asleep.

Grinning evilly, Harry stepped out of bed, walked towards Draco's bed. He took his wand and muttered '_Sonorus' _while aiming at his throat.

His voice boomed through the dormitory.

'DRACOO!! PRESENTS!!!'

Screaming wildly, Draco jumped out of bed, landing on the cold, hard floor, which made him jump back on his bed again.

'Tss..You do that every year' Draco said, looking immensely annoyed.

'I KNOOW!!!' Harry's voice boomed, before he realized the spell was still active.

'_Quitus' _Harry muttered.

Ignoring Draco's annoyed mutterings Harry walked to his own bed, and began opening his presents.

Narcissa had given both Harry and Draco a gray, silken shirt with the Slytherin symbol at the right shoulder.

Lucius had given Harry a book called '_Dangerous dark jinxes_' which looked as old as Hogwarts itself.

Draco had given Harry a box of Chocofrogs, Nott a giant box of Bertie Bott's

Every Flavour Beans, Flint a book called '_Quidditch through the ages'_ and Rowan a black, runed, leather bracer, with a note that said that it had a protective charm on it.

Donning the bracer, Harry turned to Draco.

'Try me' He said grinning.

'Draco noticed his friend being unarmed, took his wand and said '_Tarantallegra__'_

Harry raised the bracer on his arm to shield himself, and was half surprised when the spell actually rebounded back on Draco, who started to dance maniacally.

'_Finite' _Harry said, suppressing a huge grin.

'Sweeet' Draco said with his eyes wide. He started rummaging through his presents and found a similar bracer for him too.

'These things must be expensive' Draco said frowning, 'I wonder where he gets them'

'My granddad makes them actually' Rowan said entering their dormitory.

'He owns a small leather shop where he creates leather wares and enchants them for sale. I told them about you guys and he made two for me cheaply.'

'Why didn't you have it when we dueled?' Harry inquired.

'It would've been an unfair advantage, and it is not wise to depend on that bracer too much. It only protects against minor jinxes.'

'I see' Harry murmured, eyeing the bracer up and down.

'Oh and by the way, you missed this one' Rowan said throwing Harry a silver colored package. It felt really light.

When Harry opened it, something silvery and slippery fell from it.

The eyes of the three Slytherins widened. They all knew what it was. Harry and Draco had speculated the possibilities of having a true invisibility cloak long before they even went to Howarts.

Harry touched the cloak. It felt most like woven water, eager to slip out of his grip.

Draco took a small note that had been stuck with the package and read it out loud.

'_Your father gave this to me before he died. Now it is time for you to have it back. Use it wisely. Happy Christmas'_

Dismissing the thoughts about his parents, Harry donned the cloak, and saw that his head was now floating at shoulder height.

'this is so cool' Harry said.

'I would give almost anything for something like that' Rowan whispered eying the clock.

'We could share it I guess' Harry said this time eying the size of the cloak up and down. 'I think it is big enough for the three of us.'

Draco and Harry pulled their Christmas shirts over their head.

'Not bad' Draco said eying himself I the mirror.

'Not bad at all' Harry said as he too looked at his reflection in the mirror.

'Mh, I don't know Harry, I think it makes you look fat' Rowan mused.

Laughing, Harry threw a pillow at the third year, catching him fully in the face.

The Christmas breakfast was of the like Harry had never seen before. Hundreds of roasted turkeys had been placed on the four tables, as well as potatoes, and golden goblets filled with pumpkin juice.

While eating, Draco and Rowan had a pleasant discussion about enchanted items and how runes could help them function. Harry did not really listen, but instead scanned through '_Dangerous dark jinxes_' which Lucius had given him.

A bit disappointed, the book only contained a list of spells, the incantation, the effect and whether it had to be done verbally or non verbally, but not the wand movement, which would make the list practically useless.

Then Harry saw a spell that caught his attention, called "the sandscape curse" which was supposed to turn whatever it came in contact with to turn to sand. Folding the page, Harry made a mental note to ask professor Snape how it worked.

After lunch, the three wandered the school corridors, taking pleasure in discovering hidden passageways. They passed the library, where Weasley was reading what looked like a whole mountain of books.

'What are you doing Weasley, reading how to earn money illegally?' Draco said smiling evilly.

'Get lost Malfoy, not in the mood' Weasley muttered.

'Ooh, not very friendly' Draco sneered. 'Boys, I think its time we teach Weasley to have some respect to his superiors' Draco said while drawing his wand.

'This is the library Malfoy' Weasley said yawning. 'Madame Pinch is probably already on her way her wanting to accuse you of conspiracy in her library.'

As Weasley predicted, Madame Pinch came looking only a few seconds after that, with Draco quickly snatching a book from Weasley's table and loudly saying 'AAH so library books really ARE important, gods I would never have known what to do if Hogwarts did NOT have a library.'

Once again suppressing a huge grin, Harry noticed a pleased looking Madame Pinch walking proudly back to her office.

'Okay Weasley, back to business.' Draco said shoving the book in Weasleys arms.

'_Geminio' _Draco said while pointing at Weasley's books, which multiplied by ten.

'Why you-' Weasley also drew his wand and loudly send an impediment jinx at Draco, who merely raised his bracer and made the spell bound back to Weasley, who was thrown out of his seat and collided with a bookcase.

Footsteps once more announced the coming of Madame Pinch.

'Damn' Rowan said 'We need to get out of here.' He drew his own wand and pointed it at Weasley. '_Confundo'_

'Good, now go!' Harry urgently whispered as the footsteps came nearer.

The three ran out of the library, leaving a befuddled Weasley behind.

The three entered the Slytherin common room a few minutes later, having taken the passageway of Malcolm the mad almost directly to their common room.

'I cant wait until nightfall' Harry said yawning. His lessons with Snape had been cut in half because of the holiday, giving Harry in Snape's words: 'some well deserved free hours, but still enough hours in my office to gain some Christmas knowledge.'

With these free hours, Harry wanted to try out his invisibility cloak, but Draco and Rowan had decided that it would be much more fun at night, so in the meantime, they would have to wait. At night, they would be able to freely roam the castle of Hogwarts.

**A/N Not much really happened in this chapter, sorry about that, but I wanted a full chapter for the mirror of erased and what Harry will see when he looks at it.**

**As always, Read and Review.**

**Oh Yeah, please tell me what you thought about the magically enchanted bracer and if you though whether it is too much or not, for I figured that Harry grew up in a Malfoy controlled house, so his presents would also be more expensive (E.G Weasley's self made sweater and Harry/Draco's silken shirt).**


	8. The mirror of Erised

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The mirror of Erised**

When night fell, Harry, Draco and Rowan hid under the cloak, which luckily, was big enough to shield all three of them. They passed great deserted corridors, passed empty classrooms, and roamed an almost forgotten great hall. The moon shone through the great windows, creating a spooky aura throughout the castle. They had just left the teachers room, when a giant scream boomed from the supposedly empty library. Exchanging shocked looks with Draco and Rowan, they left for the source of the sound. When they neared the library a voice yelled around the corner.

'Ill get you scum, you cannot hide forever!' The voice reminded Harry of someone who knew who he was hunting, and knew that he was closing in on his victim.

It was Filch, and he was close.

Then Harry noticed something coming from a secret passageway. It looked strangely like a ghost in the moonlight of the windows. Then Harry realised what it was.

'There's someone over there,' Harry whispered to the two Slytherins next to him. 'It is a disillusionment charm!'

'Harry, silence whoever is hiding under that spell,' Rowan muttered. 'Draco, silence the door behind it' Rowan finished as the near invisible person looked in desperation for an escape route.

'_Silencio' _Harry and Draco whispered.

'_Impedimenta' _Rowan whispered.

Without even the smallest noise, the nearly invisible person crashed into the empty classroom it had been standing in front of. The door banged open but did not shatter, saving the Slytherins a whole lot of trouble.

The three entered the classroom, Harry muttering '_Colloportus' _ to seal the heavy wooden door.

Rowan had sped towards the figure, now very nearly invisible without the moonlight lightening his features, and began muttering series of spells.

'_Petrificus Totalus__, Obscuro, Finite' _Rowan muttered, making the transparent figure stiffen, making a black blindfold appear before his eyes and making him visible.

The red hair was unmistakable, and even without the red hair, the Gryffindor robes and the freckles indentified him.

It was Weasley.

Harry had been listening until Filch had disappeared from his hearing, then turned to find Weasley lying stiffened and blindfolded on the floor. He took his wand and muttered '_Muffliato' _

'He shouldn't be able to hear us now' Harry said.

'_Muffliato' _Draco said pointing at the door. 'Now nobody will hear us if they pass by that door' Draco explained.

'What is the Weasley doing here?' Draco wondered out loud.

'Probably wandering the library trying to find out who Flamel is.' Harry said frowning at the stiff, blindfolded figure at his feet.

'That was obviously Grangers work' Rowan said pointing at Weasley's visible body, 'which means that she has returned to Hogwarts early.'

'Or he has another accomplice' Draco speculated. 'Normally I would guess Longbottom. It wouldn't surprise me if he knew all about this little trip, but he wouldn't have been able to perform a disillusionment charm until the seventh year, brains of his.'

Harry was listening only half. He had just noticed what had been in the room with them.

A giant golden, gilded mirror stood in a corner, the words: _"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi"_

He looked into the mirror, and for a second, only saw his own reflection, then he saw his image change.

He was standing next to a cloaked and hooded figure, a pale chin just showing beneath his hooded robe. Harry had never seen the wizard Lucius had spoken of with such reverence. The dark wizard Voldemort. The fear of almost every wizard before he was born. Commander of the giants and the werewolves during the first wizard war.

In the mirror, Harry was standing next to him, not servant, but equal. Equal in both cloths and looks. Equal to the darkest wizard since time immemorial.

The image shifted again.

He was holding the Quidditch cup, Rowan, Draco, Nott, Flint and even Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him, smiling broadly. Snape wasn't there, only Dumbledore, who smiled a victorious smile.

The image shifted again.

He was sitting at the dinner table in Malfoy manor, together with an aged Lucius and Narcissa. Draco and himself had grown too. They had all grown, and everything looked peaceful.

Harry remembered how the blond boy had treated him when he first came there as a baby. He remembered it as if it were yesterday.

The blond haired boy, who had been his age, stood behind his father, clinging to his legs in the doorway of Malfoy manor. Harry had been frightened, for he had not wished to leave his parents. Yet he would learn to like his stay at this stranger's house.

Over time, Harry grew to know the boy called Draco more and more, and aside from the fact that Lucius frequently took Harry to their basement almost everyday, to teach him spells, to harden him, to train him, for his destiny, they eventually turned to friends, sharing nearly everything.

Harry remembered the first time Lucius had been proud of the two boys at the same time. When they both proved to have talent for Quidditch. It was then that Harry felt himself to be Draco's equal, instead of somebody of the same level had the house elf of Malfoy manor.

Harry remembered how Lucius had spoken of a wizard called Voldemort, which he seemed to hold in a terribly high regard. How he had risen to power, and how Lucius himself too, had joined him.

Over the years, Harry began to share his view. How the halfbloods and people with non magical parents should be wiped out. Only the pure would be allowed to wield magic. The more he trained, the more the shared Voldemorts views. He had never seen this dark fabled wizard whose name was almost never spoken out loud before, but knew that he would serve him. He knew would be proud to.

He remembered how Lucius told him that the Dark lord had been vanquished at the time when Harry came to the Malfoys, but in secret, Lucius believed him to be still alive, somewhere. When Harry had asked how, Lucius had responded with that even he did not know, and that his master was far more powerful then he.

And now he was looking for the very first time at the wizard who Harry had become to revere for the rest of his life, an ideal.

'HARRY' Draco said thumping him, bringing Harry back to Hogwarts. 'Are you okay?' Draco said frowning. 'You did not respond for a time. What is this?' Draco said eying the mirror.

'Don't look at it!' Harry said pushing his friend away from the mirror. 'That mirror is dangerous!' The lie felt dry in his mouth. But he had regained his senses. Only he would stand at the dark lord's side. Only he.

Harry remembered what he had been doing all this time. Almost nothing useful. He should have been learning spells at a far more faster rate, borrowing library books and learning more and more, but instead he had been doing homework, playing Quidditch and wondering how this Nicolas Flamel was.

But Draco, with his ogre friends Crabbe and Goyle, the near witless Nott, and the Quidditch captain Flint. They wanted to restrain him, to soften him, and finally to take him down. But he had seen through their deception. He would train even harder. He would play with their game a little longer. Perhaps he could use them to his own ends. He would not cease to exist.

'_What about Rowan?'_ a voice in his head said. Yes.. Harry thought. Perhaps there can still be some measure of trust in Rowan. Rowan had always encouraged his training, and had even helped him multiple times. He had only given orders when Harry had been unable to. He was also the most powerful of all the Slytherins Harry hung out with. Yes, he could still trust Rowan. For the time being.

They levitated Weasley to his common room. He would owe them, if they would ever need it. They lifted the body bind curse, and the silencing charm, but left the blindfold so that they could make an escape before the Weasley noticed him.

Back in their dormitory, Harry went to bed, intending to read through his spell books one more time when morning came. He would grow more powerful, he had to.

Time passed, and Harry live true to his intentions to study harder. Every time before he went to bed, he tried to empty his mind, with increasing success at every attempt. Harry had also asked Snape about the sandscape curse. Snape had first been a bit amazed that Harry knew of the spell, for it was quite and old one. After explaining about the ancient book he had received from Lucius for Christmas, Snape agreed to teach him the wand movement under one condition. He would practice it when alone, and he would work harder during their lessons. He also warned Harry that this was a very dangerous curse, and normal healing spells would not work.

His heavily increased motivation, and his self incurred homework, made him accomplish a perfect non verbal shield spell in Snape's office at the 5th month, one month sooner than Snape had expected.

'Very good Potter' Snape had remarked during their last lesson. 'Even though you show perfect control of the non verbal addition, we will practice this spell for two weeks more, just to be sure you have full control. After that, we will continue. I'm planning to teach you some minor healing spells, for I think you are a complete beginner when it comes to healing spells. When you have mastered those, we will move on to the more advanced healing spells.'

When not busy with homework, school classes, or classes with Snape, Harry was studying alone in his dormitory. Draco had not been pleased when he asked to be alone, but when Harry explained that it was on Snape's orders, he gave in. Harry also learned to his dismay, that a simple '_Reparo' _did not work on the objects which he turned to sand, forcing him to use the copying spell ('_Geminio'_) again and again, as well as the vanishing spell _'Evanesco' , _for piles of sand in his dormitory would raise suspicions.

Harry was so busy with practicing his spells that he had accidentally missed two Quidditch practices, literally enraging Slytherin captain Flint.

'Although I hate to say it, if you don't show up again one more time, ill kick you out of the team Potter!'

Harry couldn't really care. His goals exceeded the dreams of his captain by far.

Harry's mood improved however, when he learned that he finally had full control of the sandscape curse, not only verbally, but nonverbally as well. Nonverbally had been easy, for he already knew the basics of non verbal spells. He could now fully turn objects to sand. Although he knew that living beings were harder.

Harry's mood improved even more when Draco met him in the common room, holding a chocofrog card of Albus Dumbledore. He read the backside to a firstly uninterested Harry.

Harry's interested took a sudden turn when he realized what kind of information the card actually contained.  
'The philosophers stone' Harry spoke in awe. 'Here at Hogwarts, that is what the three-headed dog guards.' Then an idea struck him. The elixir of life.

It would be the perfect, and perhaps the only way known to him to resurrect Voldemort, to become his equal. Then disappointment struck. Even if he had the stone, how would he find Voldemort, the wizard whom Harry believed to be still alive, but had hidden his whereabouts for over a century. He would find him, and the philosophers stone.

Harry felt more happy then he had felt in a very long time. Happy enough to go to the Quidditch match with the intention of winning.

He took his broom and left the Slytherin common room, telling Draco that he would see him after the match.

Harry left the castle smiling. Things would turn out exactly the way he wanted them to turn out. They would. Eventually.

**A/N Mhz, this was kind of a really short chapter, but I wanted to save the next Quidditch match for the next chapter. Do you guys think I made Harry too evil when he looked into the mirror of Erised? Rereading my own story, he reminded me a bit f Gollum from Lord of the Rings. But perhaps that is just me.**


	9. The Norwegian Ridgeback

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The ****Norwegian Ridgeback**

Harry entered the dressing rooms of the Slytherin Quidditch team.

'Ah, Potter, there you are, I was starting to wonder if you'd show up at all.' An agitated Flint said. 'Anyway, you missed my pep talk, but the message of it is just to win. You have exactly, 3 minutes and 57 seconds left to get dressed before we enter the pitch.'

Harry donned his Quidditch robes, and took his broom to join up with his team just when they walked into the pitch.

There were even more spectators this time then last time, Harry thought that he could even see professor Dumbledore in the crowd.

The Hufflepufs were not really good. It was likely that not many actually expected to win.

'Once again, I want a nice, clean game.' Professor Hooch said when the teams met in the middle of the field.

Both teams took their positions. Madame Hooch threw the Quaffle in high in the air.

'AAND they're off again people' The voice of Lee Jordan boomed through the stadium, Potter immediately in possession of the Quaffle and is now speeding to the Hufflepuf goal hoops, leaving both teams behind him. He nears the hoops, throws…and misses. Nice safe from the Hufflepuf keeper, though I have to admit that personally I think that it was luck.

Preece in possession of the quaffle, nice Bludger from Derrek, the Slytherin beater.'

Preece, who had only held the Quaffle for a few mere seconds, fell off his broom and crashed into the grassy earth with a surprisingly hard thud. After only a few seconds, he was already out of the game.

'Montague in possession of the Quaffle, passes to Flint, passes to Potter, passes back to Montague, passes to Flint, FLINT SCORES! It is 10-0'

The game was boring to say in the least. Slytherin managed to score another 16 times, turning it into 170-10, after the Hufflepuf chaser Macavoy had passed the Slytherin keeper Bletcheley. That single goal was a mistake, for Macavoy was soon sped unconsciously from the field by professor Sprout, after two Bludgers had simultaneously crashed into his skull.

With Applebee the only Hufflepuf chaser left on the field, the beaters only followed the two seekers. Slytherin keeper Bletchley and the other three Slytherin chasers could easily manage the single chaser.

The game turned into a slaughter.

It had taken the Slytherin seeker one hour more to finally catch the snitch, making the final score 540-10.

Harry left his cheering teammates in the dressing rooms, and accompanied by Nott, Rowan, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, they went to the Slytherin common room.

Harry had asked both Draco and Rowan to duel him. At the same time.

The six Slytherins passed through the stone halls of Hogwarts, most people still at the Quidditch pitch.

Arriving at the Slytherin common room, Draco murmured the password. They entered the dungeon like common room, which was already lit with small, green, soft glowing globes, creating an eerie tension in the common room.

Harry, Draco and Rowan, formed a triangle in their dormitory, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle as nervous spectators. The three drew their wands.

'B-begin' Nott said nervously.

'_Impedimenta!' _Draco and Rowan both cried.

With a slash of his wand, Harry created the advanced shield charm, preventing the spells from reaching him and making them bound through the dormitory.

'_Serpensortia' _Draco cried, making a snake burst from the tip of his wand, at the same time Rowan cried '_Expelliarmus'_, sending a red jet of light in his direction.

Harry deflected the disarming spell with his bracer, pointed his wand at the snake, and concentrated.

'_Arena Verto'_

**A/N Arena Verto: Made up spell, Arena meaning: 'Sand' and 'Verto' literally meaning: 'I turn'. Harry uses this to turn objects/people into sand.**

The snake squirmingly turned to sand.

Harry then pointed his wand to the middle of the dormitory, yelling '_Fumos'._

Smoke once again filled the dormitory.

Harry sped to where his bed was, and therefore his invisibility cloak.

Harry just managed to throw the cloak over before Draco and Rowan both said '_Ventus'_

Making the smoke disappear.

Harry snuck towards Rowan, who realized what Harry had done when Harry was almost face to face with him.

'_Expelliarmus' _Harry cried victoriously. Sending Rowan flying wandless against the wall. Harry turned, catching a disarming charm send by Draco with his bracer.

'_Incarcerous' _Harry muttered. Making ropes appear around Rowans body, which wound themselves tightly around his body.

Harry now faced Draco alone.

Smiling, Harry once more vanished under the cloak.

He found Rowans wand, and started towards Draco, who had quickly made the ropes around Rowan vanish.

'_Fumos' _Harry thought, waving his wand, making smoke appear once again in the dormitory.

Not to make sure that couldn't see him, that would be completely useless, as he had the cloak. It was to keep his two opponents from seeing each other.

He noticed Draco's form a few feet away from him, and shot a body bind curse at him, which he surprisingly blocked with his bracer, making the blue yet fly straight passed Harry's ear.

Harry raced towards were Draco was standing, knelt before him to dodge any spells accidentally send his way, and send a non verbal disarming spell at Draco, who just muttered '_Ventus'._

Draco had made the smoke disappear, but had been unable to defend himself, and crashed into the wall behind him. Victory was his.

Too late he noticed a red flash speeding in his direction. No way.

He felt himself be lifted from the floor. Cloak or no cloak, he was still flesh and blood, and he had let himself be hit by an impediment jinx, send by Rowan with Draco's wand.

With a crash, Harry was blasted against one of the bed posts. The cloak slipping half over him.

Momentarily stunned, he was forced to watch Rowan walk towards him, wand raised.

'This is over Harry' He said grinning. '_Expelliarmus' _

' _PROTEGO HORIBILIS!' _Harry cried in desperation, regaining his sense of touch and slashing at Rowan with his wand just in time.

A purple shield formed between the two boys just in time, and for a split second, it seemed as if Rowans spell was going to burst through it, but then it bounced back towards his caster, sending him flying through the dormitory once more.

Harry stood up just in time to see Draco racing towards him in an attempt to physically tackle him.

Dodging the blond haired boy by inches, Harry muttered '_Incarcerous', _ forcing his opponent to lie face down on the floor bound by what seemed like a dozen ropes.

Leaving his opponent, he started towards Rowan.

Lifting Rowan up into the air with a hover charm.

'Now, it is over' Harry said grinning. Making Rowan drop to the floor.

Harry handed Rowan his wand.

'Tough one' Harry said, realising that the Quidditch match had started to affect him.

'Apparently' Draco groaned from the floor.

'Oh, sorry Draco' Harry said and made the ropes vanish. Returning his wand as well.

'That was so awesome' Nott gasped from the doorway.

'Nice to know that you enjoyed it' Draco said gruffly.

'Next time you can be tossed through the dormitory' Rowan said equaling Draco's tone.

'Hehe, sorry about that' Harry said smiling nervously. '_But that is the pain you get from losing.' _The voice in his head said. '_If you don't like it, grow stronger'_ Harry could only agree with the voice, however weird that felt.

'I'm going back to the library' Harry said while Rowan, Draco and Nott were arguing.

'Again?' Rowan said. 'What do you keep doing in there?'

'Looking up spells and researching.' Harry said.

'But you are already powerful enough to win against both a first year and a third year!' Draco said gaping.

'I know, but with difficulty' Harry said shrugging, and left a befuddled Rowan, Nott and Draco behind.

Reaching the library of the great castle of Hogwarts, Harry heard familiar voices. Hiding behind a bookcase, Harry listened.

'..come to my cabin, I cant promise that I'll tell you lot something, but you're not supposed to talk about that in public!' Hagrid whispered urgently.

Harry pressed himself against the bookcase, and was nearly seen as the enormous man, clutching a book behind his back, left the library.

Harry was about to move from his hiding spot when the voices of Granger and Weasley continued.

'What was he holding behind his back?' Granger said thoughtfully. 'Do you think it had anything to do with the philosophers stone?'

'Lets see what he was looking at' Weasley said.

Harry heard the two move to almost exactly where he was hiding.

'Dragons!' Weasley furiously whispered. 'Hagrid has been researching about dragons! Look at all these titles, _From Egg to Infernal, A practical guide for breeding dragons and The dragons of Great-Britain!' _

'Hagrid has always wanted a dragon,' Granger said thoughtfully. 'he said so that day in Diagon alley remember?'

'Wait, you cant possibly believe that he actually has a dragon in his cabin?'

'We'll have to wait until we arrive at his cabin tonight.' Granger said, but her voice said that she too, feared for the worst.

Draco had been delighted with this piece of news.

Harry's reaction was almost the opposite.

'We can take your invisibility cloak!' Draco said with more enthusiasm than Harry could muster for this little, irrelevant piece of news. Then an idea hit him however.

Would the dark lord want a dragon?

Harry saw himself, presenting a mighty and loyal black dragon for his lord.

'_A weapon to strike even more fear into the hearts of his opponents.__' _The voice in Harry's head said.

If he could somehow obtain this dragon, if it existed that was, and somehow tame it. It would secure his future at the dark lord's side.

'All right' Harry said. 'We'll go tonight'

That night, he and Draco used the invisibility cloak to leave the castle. Harry had asked for a free night with Snape, in order to go. The healing spells had been simple at first, and the wand movement and non verbal additions laughable, but now they were onto more powerful healing spells, which Harry found somewhat more difficult than he wanted to admit.

Harry noticed that it was a clear night when they left the great castle, softly closing the great doors behind them. The moon once again shone upon the grounds.

Harry noticed Weasley and Granger closing in on the gamekeepers cabin, saw them knocking, and noticed how the giant gamekeeper let them in.

Harry and Draco closed in at the cabin, and peered inside.

Something what looked like a big, black, egg was lying in a cauldron in the fireplace.

He saw the gamekeeper talking with Weasley and Granger, but could not hear a thing.

'Your turn to occupy me' Draco said with a grin, and before Harry could say another word, Draco had already uttered his spell.

'_Demonstro'_

Instantly, Harry felt Draco crumple on his shoulder.

Suppressing a curse, Harry grabbed Draco's limb form by the shoulder and peered inside, where he knew Draco was now listening.

Harry looked at the great black egg. He had to resist the urge to storm right in and steal the egg.

But how would he control the dragon when it hatched?

He knew that dragons were impossible to control. It was one of the first things he had learned while he was at Hogwarts. They were strongly resistant to most spells, and were often violent and hostile to everyone.

He had to manipulate it somehow. Learn the dragon how to obey his commands at a very young age. But how?

'_Forget all your spell work you practice at the moment, we need to find something to control creatures, aside from spells we both know you cannot master.' _

Harry knew what the voice was talking about. The imperius curse.

He had already decided however, that that was yet far too difficult for him to attempt. He had to research this problem. Find away around the normal thinking of the wizards who had attempted to control dragons before him.

Before he could come up with any more theories however, Draco's body once more became alive.

'They're leaving!' Draco urgently whispered.

Struggling under the cloak to keep up with the two running Gryffindors, the Slytherins tried to catch something of what they were saying.

'…insane…wooden house….mental….' They heard, before they were outrun by the two, who were not limited in their running because they had to stay under a one person cloak.

After entering the castle, Harry and Draco left the two Gryffindors, removed the cloak and left for their own dormitory.

'The two talked a while about the philosophers stone' Draco said while walking. 'Apparently, that three headed dog isn't the only thing that guards it. More teachers have given the stone their protections.'

'Naturally' Harry said. 'An object of such value and power is obviously not protected by one single protection alone'

'Than they continued with that egg over the fire' Draco continued. 'Apparently it's a Norwegian Ridgeback, and the oaf actually wants to keep it in his house!'

'Dragons are almost impossible to tame' Harry muttered almost as if to himself, but actually strongly wishing that they were not.

'Maybe we can manage to let them be captured with it.' Draco said almost hopefully. 'It could give us a few house points, dock a few from Gryffindor and maybe even give detention to Granger and Weasley!'

'Perhaps, if prepared properly' Harry said with a thinking expression, but secretly cursing his friend for his stupidity.

The goals of his friends were worthless, pitiful, feeble and lamentable.

He heard the voice in his head gleefully agreeing with him.

**A/N Sorry that it took so long to upload this chapter, but I was ill for a couple 'o days so…guess there's not helping it…stupid winter. I guess Read and Review all, and I hope you're all enjoying the story so far.**

**Oh Yeah, if anyone has some nice ideas, be sure to PM me, and I might just agree and put them into the story. **


	10. The Forbidden Forest

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The Forbidden Forest**

Harry had been asleep when Draco had ripped open his bed curtains and was shaking him out of his sleep.

'Harry, wake up!' Draco whispered in his ear.

'Whut?!' Harry said still not really awake. He put his wand which he had grabbed out of pure reflex back on his nightstand.

'Apparently Hagrid's dragon has hatched, but Weasley and Granger are sending it to Romania tonight because it is not safe for Hagrid.'

The words did not entirely reach Harry. Then it burst through in his mind.

They where going to do what?!!!

'Wake up Rowan Draco, tell him exactly what you told me, ill meet you in the common room in a few minutes.'

To his relief, his friend sped off without a further word.

Harry jumped out of bed and quickly put on his robes and donned his bracer. He grabbed his invisibility cloak from his trunk and ran downstairs.

It took a few minutes for Draco and Rowan to arrive and when they did, Harry explained his plan.

'Rowan, I need to go to professor Snape, tell him that the Gryffindors are moving towards the astronomy tower. Draco, you go with me, we are going to try and delay them, and if we can, obtain the egg.'

Rowan left for the office of professor Snape, while Harry and Draco ducked under the cloak and left for the astronomy tower.

'How do you know actually?' Harry inquired while they were moving as fast as possible to the astronomy tower. 'That they are moving the dragon tonight I mean.'

'Scrying spell' Draco whispered. 'I've been keeping an eye on them especially for this, if we can capture them, Gryffindor will be in huge trouble.' His voice filled with glee.

'_Worthless, feeble, pitiful and lamentable' _The voice hissed in Harry's head.

The two Slytherins ran through Hogwarts castle. They passed Mrs. Norris who looked straight at them even if she could not see them, they passed Nearly-Headless Nick, who was humming slightly and passed Longbottom, who had probably forgotten the password again.

When they neared the astronomy tower, they were only just in time to glimpse Weasley who just passed around the corner at the far end of the hall, back to the Gryffindor common room.

They had been too late.

'We can still get them!' Harry said nudging Draco into the hallway intending to have revenge.

It was then that Harry felt the invisibility robe fly off him in a gust of wind.

'Nothing..I repeat, nothing gives you the right to wander through the school at night.'

It was McGonagall, she had her wand in her hand. She had heard them and had created the gust of wind.

'You will follow me to the head of your house' McGonagall said stiffly.

Harry and Draco had no option but to obey the transfiguration teacher and follow to the dungeons.

They walked through the school in pure silence, only passing once again Nearly Headless Nick who was still humming and ignored their presence.

When they walked through the entrance hall, which led to the dungeons, they met professor Snape, and he was not alone. Weasley, Longbottom and Granger accompanied him. Harry was at least glad to see that Rowan was not with them.

'Ah Minerva, I was just about to head to your office.' Snape said, his eyes gliding to Harry and Draco.

McGonagalls mouth thinned at the sight of three of her Gryffindors.

'You see, I too captured three students out of bed this evening.' Snape continued when McGonagall did not speak.

'Then we shall treat them equally.' McGonagall said, finally finding her words.

'Fifty points from your houses, from all of you.' McGonagall said, who started to turn a little red.

Harry looked to Snape for help, but only received an expressionless stare.

'Furthermore, you will receive a punishment, of which we will contact you later this week. Gryffindors, follow me, Slytherins, you follow professor Snape back to the dungeons.'

When out of earshot from the Gryffindors, Snape spoke.

'That was foolish of you Potter.' Snape said softly. 'Your decision to send Rowan had been wise, but to go yourself was an unnecessary risk.'

They passed into the dungeons.

'Unfortunately, I cannot extract you from the punishment Minerva gave you, but the points are not a problem. Potter, fifty points for leadership over other Slytherins, Draco, fifty points for pure loyalty to your house.' Snape finished in his usual monotone voice.

'The punishment however is still intact. You will get a note of your punishment within the week. '

They entered the Slytherin common room.

'I hope you have learned to never again take such risks, I will not stand up for you a second time. Dismissed' Snape concluded, he turned his heel and left.

Harry silently left for his common room, silently followed by Draco.

They met Rowan on the stairs. Harry was too let down to explain everything, and allowed Draco to do is.

They had lost the dragon. He had failed. His insurance of his place at the dark lord's side had been washed away.

'_Gryffindors…' _The voice in his head hissed.

Tired as he was, he ignored the voice and went back to bed.

The days of the next week passed by. Harry followed his classes, went to lunch, from lunch to Snape's classes, and back to bed. He felt empty, no personal project to work on, except Nicolas Flamel, and the philosophers stone, which was at a dead end, with no way to pass the three headed dog.

Snape and McGonagall had had a heated discussion about what had happened to the points she had extracted from Slytherin house, but Snape escaped unscratched, and the house points remained to be the same.

Thursday morning, they received a note from McGonagall.

'_Your punishment will take place at eleven o'clock. Wait for Mr. Filch in the great hall._

_Prof. M McGonagall._

A few minutes before eleven, Harry and Draco left for the great hall, where they met up with Granger, Weasley and Longbottom, the three looking quite unhappy. Apparently, McGonagall had given them a tirade which had lasted for half an hour.

Filch was already waiting for them, and when they were complete, lit a lamp and ordered them to follow him.

'Now you will think twice before leaving your beds at night won't ya?' Filch said with a unpleasant grin.'

'Yess…' He continued. 'Hard work and pain are still the best teachers one can find if you ask me….such a pity that that isn't allowed anymore….A few days hanging with your wrist on the ceiling and stuff like that. I still keep em in my office ya know, keeping them oiled and stuff, just in case that the higher ups will change their minds.'

They marched across the dark terrain. Longbottom was sobbing. Pathetic.

Harry wondered what their punishment could possible be. It had to be pretty bad, or else Filch would not be in such a good mood. In the distance, Harry saw the house of Hagrid loom in the distance, when they heard Hagrid call out.

'Is that you Filch, Hurry up a bit will ya? I'd like to get to work.'

Harry grimaced. Obviously this would be bad, as they would be forced to go with Hagrid, who very likely didn't like Draco and himself very much.

Weasley on the other hand, grinned widely.

'Thinking that this is going to be a pleasant evening don't you, being with the ogre?' Filch asked noticing Weasley's grin. 'Well, I'd say forget it boy – you're going into the forbidden forest, and I personally doubt that you will come out in one piece.'

Longbottom groaned, and Draco stiffened.

'Into the forest?' Draco asked, losing his usual cool when addressing people he thought to be below him.

'We cant go in there at night! There could be werewolves!' Draco finished, a wolf howling in the distance.

'That is your problem.' Said Filch, who was nearly wetting himself because of all the excitement.

'Should've thought about the werewolves when you left your beds' He added with a grin.

Hagrid strode towards them, a dog at his heels, and armed with a crossbow.

'Pff, finally' He said. ' I've been waiting for half an hour. Everything all right, Ron, Hermione?'

'I wouldn't be as friendly if I were you Hagrid' Filch said coldly. 'remember that they are here to be punished.'

'Follow me' Hagrid growled ignoring the caretaker's comment.

They entered the forest, and followed the path until they reached an opening in the forest, where Hagrid held his lamp high, and illuminated a pool of silvery blood.

'You see that?' Hagrid said pointing at the silvery blood. 'Unicorn blood. Something in this forest severely wounded a unicorn which is now wandering in this forest, and it is our job to find it.'

'And what if that thing finds us first?' Draco asked trembling.

'Nothing in this forest will harm you when I am near.' Hagrid said gruffly. He really did not like them.

'We split up in two groups,' Hagrid continued. 'Hermione and Neville, you're coming with me, Ron, you're with Malfoy and Harry. Oh and Fang o'course.' He added giving the dog a nudge in their direction.

It was dark in the forest, and also very quiet. After a small walk, the group reached a crossing that split the path in two , Granger and Longbottom took the left, while Harry, Draco and Weasey took the right, Fang barking a little in an attempt to be brave, but failing terribly.

'Wait until my father hears of this' Draco sneered. 'This is servants stuff!'

Harry nodded, he knew exactly how Lucius would react to this.

'That is if you leave this place alive' Weasley said with a grim smile.

'Silence Weasley!' Draco snided.

Weasley was about to retort, when they reached another clearing.

'Look-' Harry said pointing to the centre of the clearing.

It was the unicorn. It was dead.

Harry had never before seen something so pure and sad. Its long white legs were sticking out at all kind sides and its manes lay pearly white on the dark hard forest floor.

Harry had just taken one step towards the creature when something near the beast moved.

From the shadows appeared a cloaked figure, its cloak gliding over the ground, like an animal prowling towards his prey.

Harry, Draco and Weasley looked petrified as the creature bent down near the creature, and began to drink its blood.

Draco opened his mouth, and before Harry could stop him, emitted a giant scream. Dropping the lantern he had been holding, Draco ran for it, followed by Weasley, who had looked too terrified to say something. Fang was already long gone.

The figure raised his head and looked directly at Harry, unicorn blood dripping on its cloak. He rose and slowly glided in Harry's direction, who pulled his wand and made red sparks fill the sky above him. The figure moved closer.

'_Impedimenta' _Harry cried, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

The creature waved the spell aside as it was a mere nuisance in its way.

'_Petrificus totalus!'_ Harry tried , but again, the figure flung the spell aside with a mere swish of his in his robe covered hand.

The creature was now getting close enough to do whatever it was going to do to him.

His scar began to sting.

'_Protego Horribilis' _ Harry cried as the figure raised his hand in order to attack.

Finally, the creature encountered a spell he could no simply dismiss. He swiped with his hands, but the shield held, scratches appearing over the surface of the purple shield. The creature stood silently for a few seconds, then raised both hands and shattered his shield and threw Harry on his back, his wand flying out of his reach. The figure swiped with one hand, just as a centaur jumped in between the two of them. It was too late however, as the invisible spell raced to Harry. In desperation Harry flung up the bracer, and while the shield probably took the worst of it, it still felt like several blunt knives sliced across his body. He was thrown even farther from the creature, and when he opened his eyes, the centaur had already chased it off.

'Are you alright?' The centaur asked walking towards him and sticking out a hand in order to get Harry back to his feet.

Harry silently took the hand and raised himself to his feet.

'You are the Potter boy.' The centaur said. 'You can better leave this place, it is not safe, especially for you. Can you ride? It would get you out of the forest faster.' He said kneeling so that Harry could climb on his back. ' I am Firenze.' He added.

Suddenly, more galloping hooves sounded from the other side of the clearing. Two more centaurs emerged from the trees.

'Firenze! What is this?! You are carrying a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you some ordinary mule?' The first angrily yelled at Firenze.

'Do you know who this is?' Firenze said softly. 'This is Potter, the sooner he gets out of the forest the better.'

'What did you tell him?' The first centaur growled. 'Don't forget that we swore not to resist the will of the heavens. Have we not read from the planets what is yet to come?'

'The boy studies at Hogwarts, he should already know that drinking unicorn blood keeps the near dead alive, and of the price those people pay for it.' Firenze said.

'But he' The first said pointing to Harry. 'Does NOT know what that thing searches in the halls of Hogwarts.'

The second centaur opened his mouth, but before he could say something, Hagrid, Longbottom, Weasley, Granger and Draco emerged from the trees behind the centaurs, Fang at their heels.

'Are you okay Harry?' Hagrid panted.

'I'm fine.' Harry said solemnly. 'The unicorn is dead, it is lying at a clearing a few minutes from here.'

'Than I will leave you here Harry Potter' Firenze said. 'You are safe now.'

And with that, the three centaurs left. Leaving the group in the forest.

Back in the Slytherin common room, Harry told his tale to Rowan and Draco, the only two he dared to confine it in.

Harry was pacing through the common room.

'We know someone is trying to steal the stone, and that person wants it for You-know-who.' Harry had long ago decided that it would be unwise to call the dark lord by his name. Yet.

'He is waiting in the forest, waiting for he accomplice in the castle to get it for him.' Harry continued.

'The centaur was furious that Firenze had saved me. Said that Firenze should've let it kill me.'

Harry was thrilled that he had met the dark lord for the first time, but also shocked that he had tried to kill him immediately. Perhaps not entirely unfathomable, as Harry somehow destroyed him as a baby. Harry fingered his scar.

'So we know that at the end of the year, You-know-who will return, perhaps even sooner.' Rowan said, his face revealing no emotion at all. For the first time, Harry wondered where Rowans loyalties truly lay.

'What about Dumbledore?' Draco asked. 'They say that Dumbledore is the only one You-Know-Who is afraid of.'

'He will find a way.' Harry said. 'I'm sure of it'.

Somehow he had to clarify that he was on the side of the dark lord. But how?

When Harry finally went to bed, he found his invisibility cloak, which he had forgotten at the beginning of the week, folded on his bed with a note.

'_Just in case'_

**A/N: Phew, I think one of my longest chapters so far. Sorry for the wait everyone, I was ill for a couple 'o weeks (again). Stupid winter…. We are nearing the end of the first book. I think two chapters left, maybe even one. Let me know if you all want to continue to Chamber of Secrets and depending on the reviews, I might just do it.**

**As always, Read and Review.**

**Arildun**


	11. Through the Hatch

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Through the Hatch**

The exams passed by without giving Harry any real trouble. The days came and went, but the door which led to the three headed dog was still locked and to conclude from the sounds, it was very much alive.

Classrooms were hot, especially in the classroom where they had to make the written test. Specially used for the exams were quills with an anti-cheating spell.

For the practical exam they had to come with professor Flitwick make a pineapple tap dance on his desk. Professor McGonagall made her students transform a mouse into a cigar box- the prettier the box the more points you earned, although if your box still had whiskers points were taken from your grade. Snape made even Harry nervous by watching over their shoulders while they were trying to remember how they had to create a forgetfulness potion.

Harry couldn't get the rid of the thought of the thing they had seen in the forbidden forest. He was sure that it had been the very first time he had stood face to face with the dark lord. Yet. The dark lord considered him his enemy. It had to be changed, by any means possible, yet only one option kept reappearing in his thoughts. The philosophers stone.

Harrys hand once more went to his scar as he, Draco, Rowan, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle sat down at the shore of the lake. It kept stinging.

'Go to Pomfrey.' Nott had suggested when Harry had told them about it.

'I am not sick.' Harry had replied.

'Relax Harry' Rowan said soothingly.' It is a full week before we get the results of the exams, so we better try to relax some and prepare for it. I think you are the only one who does not know the real meaning of relaxing.'

'He's right you know' Draco added.

Harry nodded, but something was bothering him, as if he had forgotten something. Something important.

From the corner of his eye, Harry spotted movement.

Weasley and Granger were sprinting to Hagrids cabin.

'Oh?' Harry thought out loud. 'What are they up to?'

'Perhaps another dragon?' Draco said hopefully. 'As it is Hagrid, it could be anything.'

'Tsss..All right.' Rowan said yawning. 'Who's in to find out? A few bodies lying in the grass wont be unusual this time of the year.'

The Slytherins, except Crabbe and Goyle, raised their wands to their foreheads and spoke as one.

'_Demonstro'_

The incorporeal Slytherins glided across the lake to Hagrids cabin, where the were just in time to hear the start of the conversation.

Hagrid was sitting in a comfortable chair and was whistling a tune.

'Hello' He said cheerfully. 'Finally finished your exams? Want to have a cup 'o tea?

'Yes please' Weasley began, but Granger cut him off.

'No Hagrid, we are in a hurry. I only wanted to ask you something. Do you remember that night when you won Norbert? How did you opponent look like?

'Dunno' Hagrid said bored. 'he kept his hood up'

Hagrid saw the startled faced of Weasley and Granger and frowned.

'That is not so strange by the way, you meet all kinds of strange people in The Hoggs Head.'

'What did you talk about Hagrid?' Granger asked while taking the chair next to Hagrids. 'Did you talk about Hogwarts?'

'Could've mentioned it' Hagrid said trying to remember. 'Yes…He asked me what I did, and I told him I was a gamekeeper…he asked me what kinds of animals I took care of and I told him….and then I said that I'd always wanted a dragon…and then..mh lets see…oh yeah…then he said he happened to have a dragon egg with him, but he had to make sure I could take good care of it….and I said that next to Fluffy, a dragon would not be a problem.'

Harry saw Draco frown, mouthing the word 'Fluffy?'

'Did he seem interested in Fluffy?' Granger asked.

'O' course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three headed dog? So I told him that Fluffy was cake…just whistle a tune and he fall straight asleep.' Hagrid said.

A look of shock crossed into Hagrids face.

'I should've told ya that. Hey! Where are you going?'

But Weasley and Granger were already running back towards the castle.

The Slytherin stopped the scrying spell.

'That oaf called that beast Fluffy?! He is an insane maniac!' Draco furiously whispered when he was back in his corporeal form.

Harry ignored him. So the accomplice of the dark lord knew how to pass the three headed dog? And surprisingly Weasley and Granger knew too. There were too few options. He had to steal the stone himself before any of the others could snatch if from before the dark lord.

When the other Slytherins had gone to bed, Harry opened his eyes and stared to the ceiling.

Silently, he left his bed, and put on his cloak, and donned his bracer. He put his wand in his robes, took the invisibility cloak, and left the dormitory.

When he entered the common room however, he noticed that two people were still there.

Draco and Rowan were still there. They had their wands drawn and were facing each other.

'What do you think you are doing?' Draco said when he saw Harry emerge from the dormitory.'

'I'm going to steal the Philosopher stone.' Harry said softly.

'You are crazy! It would get you in enormous trouble! Not to mention what it would do to Slytherin! Stop right there or I will stop you by force!'

'If it has to come to that' Harry said reluctantly, drawing his wand. 'I am sorry Draco.'

'_Petrificus Totalus!' _Rowan and Harry cried.

Barely evading the spells, Draco dodged the spells and shot a snake at Harry, who turned it to sand in a whip-like wand movement.

'_Petrificus Totalus' _Rowan cried again, but once again Draco dodged it, only to be caught in mid roll by a body bind curse shot by Harry.

'I am sorry Draco' Harry said again. 'You just don't realize the importance of this.'

Harry turned to Rowan.

'So..You are coming?' Harry asked

'I am' The other replied.

'Then lets go' Harry said throwing the invisibility cloak over the two of them.

When the two Slytherins reached the third floor however, the found the door already unlocked.

'Granger and Weasley probably' Rowan muttered.

A harp was making music in the middle of the room, and the three headed dog was sound asleep. Its paw had already been moved from the hatch.

'Lets go' Rowan said, opening the hatch with his wand.

Jumping through the hatch, Harry and Rowan landed in what looked like a room full of plants.

'What is this stuff?' Harry asked suspiciously.

'I don't know' Rowan said with equal suspicion.

Suddenly the roots of the plants twined themselves around the tow boys.

'Devils Snare!' Rowan cried.

'Relax! Stay calm' Harry said with as much authority as he could muster.

Harry forced as much calm on himself as he could, and felt his body slide through the plants.

He landed on hard floor, with a ceiling covered with the plants he had just fallen through. A second later, Rowan too landed next to him.

'That way.' Harry said and pointed to the stone hallway. They had nowhere else to go.

The only thing the two boys heard while they descended even further below Hogwarts was the water on rock, not much unlike Gringotts.

Harry dearly wished that this place did not have a dragon like the latter did.

Holding out his hand, Rowan stopped him in his tracks.

'Do you hear that?' He said.

Harry listened and could see what Rowan was talking about. It sounded like wings.

'I can see light' Rowan said pointing.

At the end of the hallway, they saw a brightly lit, high cave like room. The room was swarmed with small little birds, who flew and zigzagged through the vast cavern.

'Wait a moment.' Harry said. 'They are keys.'

Rowan looked somewhat closer at the birds and he too noticed that the birdlike things were actually keys.

'Well, quite clear isn't it?' Harry said. We must get the key that will open the door. I think we'll need those brooms.' Harry finished pointing at two ancient looking brooms.

'Or we can use the key our predecessors used before us.' Rowan said pointing at a heavy golden key which was lying at the other end of the caver. Both of its wings were broken, and it was squirming like a severely wounded bird.

'That is also an option.' Harry admitted.

Rowan took the key and forced it into the keyhole at the other side of the cavern.

Unsurprisingly, the door opening, and the key grew limp, it had no strength left to fly again.

The next room was so dark that they couldn't see a thing, but when they stepped in, torches flared brightly and made the content of the room visible.

'A chessboard?' Rowan said frowning.

'Seems like the door is open already' Harry noted.

When the two crossed the board however, the board shook and all the pieces flew back to the board.

'We'll have to win to get through huh?' Rowan said calmly. 'Fine, I'll make quick work of this.'

'We have no time for this Rowan!' Harry said impatient.

Harry raised his wand and pointed it at the white chess pieces.

'_BOMBARDA' _Harry yelled.

With a huge explosion, the pawn exploded, making chunks of white stone fly in all directions.

'Care to help?' Harry asked Rowan.

'Gladly.' The latter replied also drawing his wand.

The two vanquished the entire middle section of the chessboard, leaving only the rook and the knights alive. This made a considerable hole in the white front.

With nobody to stop them, Harry and Draco proceeded to the next test.

Once more, the hallway led them to a room, somewhat smaller than the two previous ones. The door to the next room was barred by black flames. Surprisingly, they were not alone in this room.

'……So which one can transport us through those black flames?' Weasley asked.

'This small black one' Granger said triumphantly.

'Excellent! You once again save us quite a lot of trouble.' Harry said loudly, which made the two Gryffindors spin around.

'You.' Weasley said softly. Eying both Harry and Rowan.

'Do not interfere!' Granger cried. 'Professor Snape is trying to steal the philosophers' stone! We must stop him!'

'Professor Snape?' Rowan said frowning.

'Cant be.' Harry said also frowning.

'Don't try to stop us!' Harry said turning to the two Gryffindors. 'I do not know why you two think that professor Snape would want to steal the stone, but your adventure ends here. Only we will proceed to the stone!'

'If this is truly necessary…'Granger said drawing her wand.

'I guess it is.' Weasley said, also drawing his wand.

'Take Weasley..I will take Granger..' Harry said only for Rowan to hear.

'Got it.' Rowan said in an equally soft tone.

'_Expelliarmus!' _Weasley cried.

'_Petrificus Totalus!'_ Granger yelled.

Rowan blocked the disarming spell with his bracer, and shot his own disarming charm at Weasley, who was forced to roll behind the table of potions.

Harry dodged the blue spell, and jumped through the doorway, sending multiple spells and hexes through the room, forcing Granger to roll away as well.

Silence for a few moments. Then suddenly, both Granger and Weasley emerged and shot a combined disarming charm at Harry.

'_Protego Horribilis!'_ Harry cried slashing his wand.

The purple field appeared but held the combined spells with difficulty.

Rowan ran around the table, so that none of the Gryffindors had a place to shield behind.

'_Incarcerous!' _He cried victoriously.

Granger deflected it and created water from the tip of her wand.

Rowan slipped and crashed on his back, while Weasley moved in to disarm him.

'_Expelliarmus!'_

Weasley flew wandless against the opposite wall, close to where Rowan was lying on the cold, wet floor. Harry had used the cloak to sneak on top of the two while Rowan distracted them from behind.

Granger opened her mouth to cast a spell, but was tossed over the potion table by Rowan, who had cast an impediment jinx while lying on the floor.

Rowan stood and pointed his wand at Granger.

'_Incar-'_

He never got to finish his spell. Weasley had charged wandlessly at him, and had punched him hard in the face. Sliding on the wet floor, Rowan thudded against the stone wall.

'_Incarcerous!'_ Harry cried, binding Weasley in ropes.

'_Petrificus Totalus' _Granger cried from the other side of the room.

Harry wheeled around and was barely in time to catch the spell with the bracer.

Harry pointed his own wand at Granger, at the same time Rowan did, who was clutching his bleeding nose with his free hand.

'_Expelliarmus' _The two cried. Which made Granger crash into the wall.

Rowan moved in on her and used the body bind curse.

'_Episkey' _Harry muttered pointing his wand at Rowans bleeding nose, which healed instantly.

'Stay here and guard them' Harry ordered. They will be a nuisance should the spells fade.'

Rowan obviously did not like this, but saw the logic as well as he did.

'Okay' He said reluctantly.

'According to Granger, this should make me pass safely through the black flames.' Harry said, fingering the small bottle.

'Good luck' Rowan said with only a small hint of what seemed to be disappointment.

'Thanks' Harry replied.

Harry took the bottle, drank it in one gulp, and passed through the black flames.

___________________________________________________________________________

**A/N Pff, this was actually a really short chapter. Sorry about that, but I am intending to use a full chapter on the meeting with Voldemort, where my entire plot will unfold, and give some clues of what is to happen next.**

**Read and Review, for if you guys do not reach 50 reviews, I will not continue with the next book.**

**Once again sorry for the short chapter**

**Arildun**


	12. The Greatest Change in History

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The Greatest Change in History**

Harry walked through the fire, and for a split second, could only see the dark flames snatching at his body, but he couldn't feel them. Then, he stepped into the last room. Someone was already there, however, even before Weasley and Granger. It was Quirrel.

'U?' Harry said raising his wand. 'What are you doing here?'

Quirrel smiled.

'Me.' Quirrel said. 'I was already wondering when you'd show up here, Potter.'

'And here a few Gryffindors had almost convinced me that Snape was going to steal the stone' Harry said hiding his surprise and trying to be brave.

'Severus?' Quirrel laughed sharp and coldly.

'Yes Severus would seem perfect for that role wouldn't he? The perfect distraction. Who would suspect s-stuttering professor Quirrel if Snape was wandering around Hogwarts?'

Harry tightened his wand. He truly would never have thought that Quirrel would be Voldemorts accomplice in Hogwarts.

'Dumbledore and your suspicious Snape have been keeping an eye out for you, but it has all been a waste of time, for I'll have to kill you now.'

Quirrel snapped with his fingers, and ropes appeared out of no-where, which Harry deflected with a slash of his wand.

'Do not underestimate me!' Harry snapped, but Quirrel merely smiled.

'Oh no, I won't be underestimating you again. Not since what you did at Halloween.'

It suddenly all became so clear.

'You let the troll in.' Harry reasoned.

'Very good Potter. Yes, I released the troll into the halls of Hogwarts, in an attempt to steal the stone while the school was in chaos. Snape, however, was not so easily distracted. While everyone came running to the noise you and your friends made, Snape left for the third floor to head me off. We were barely in time to catch up with the other teachers in order to not rouse too much suspicion. Snape knew that he did not have any proof so he could not step to the headmaster, however, he did keep a close watch on me. Now shut up Potter! I would like to solve this last test.'

Only then did Harry notice that something else was standing in the room with him and Quirrel.

The mirror of Erised.

'This mirror is the key to the stone' Quirrel murmured. 'Really something for Dumbledore to think about this… but luckily he is in London….'

Harry slowly walked towards Quirrel. What did he know of him? He was is a Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. His knowledge of it should be greater than his.

Quirrel did not notice his advance. He was staring greedily at the mirror.

'I can see the stone…I am offering it to my master…but where IS it? There is nothing like failure to the dark lord..I MUST succeed!'

Quirrel seemed to be talking more to himself than to Harry.

'I don't get it…Do I have to break the mirror?' Quirrel asked the room at large.

Harry now stood in front of the mirror.

He saw himself presenting the stone to the dark lord as well. Only he…Only he…

'How does it work, how does it work?!' Quirrel shouted while Harry pointed his wand at Quirrel's back.

'Use the boy, use the boy!' A voice hissed through the room.

'Yes! Come here Po-

'_Expelliarmus!'_ Harry cried at the exact moment Quirrel turned to him.

Harry had never expected someone to shield himself so fast. Faster than Harry could've imagined, Quirrel had blocked his spell and had send it back to him. Harry threw up his hands in desperation. A blue flash filled Harry's eyes.

And he heard Quirrel crash wandless to the floor, next to the mirror.

The bracer.

Rowans gift had saved him without him even intending to save himself.

'_Wingardiu Leviosa' _Harry murmured, before Quirrel could dive for his wand.

Quirrel's wandless body floated into the air. His eyes spoke of surprise, hatred and..could it be… fear?

At Harry's command, Quirrel crashed into the walls, the ceiling and finally the floor.

When he raised Quirrel once more into the air before the mirror, his heard stopped.

Quirrels turban had fallen off during Harry's attempt to knock him unconscious.

On the back of Quirrels head, another face stuck out.

It was white as chalk, with red furious eyes and split eyes like a snake.

'Harry Potter…The face said.

Despite Harry's intentions, his legs still tried to back away. He failed however, and remained where he was.

'Do you see what I have become?' The face said. 'I only exist of shadow and fog…I can only share the body of another like a parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, you have seen me drinking it in the forest..however, it cannot grant me a body of my own…but there is something that can…Now give me-'

Harry's body had finally obeyed him.

Eyes lowered, he sank to his knees, and let his master drop to the floor.  
Voldemort turned so that he was facing Harry, raised his hand, and his wand came flying, which he caught.

'What is thiss…?' Voldemort hissed.

'Please forgive me….my lord.' Harry nearly whispered. 'I did not know. I sought to obtain the stone for you.'

'He lies!' Quirrel said from the other side of Voldemorts head.

'Silence Quirrel!' Voldemort snapped. 'Surprisingly he is not lying. I can see the truth in his head.'

Voldemort raised his wand, so that it very nearly touched Harry's forehead. Harry did not flinch however.

'I could take your life here and now..' Voldemort said almost longingly.

'If that is your wish.' Harry whispered, but still could not hide his fear of death.

Surprisingly, against all odds, Voldemort lowered his wand.

'You actually mean it.' Voldemort hissed. 'Why are you so loyal to me?'

'I was trained by Lucius Malfoy, my father, for that very purpose.' Harry said, and then decided to spill out everything. 'When I arrived at Hogwarts, Snape took over my training.'

'Lucius..?' Refusing to search for me, but train a boy for my service?' Voldemort hissed angrily. 'A pitiful way to regain my trust!'

'Still..' He continued. 'I can see that you have potential. Your skills with magic indeed exceed the magic of a first year by far.'

'Please..' Harry whispered still on his knees with his eyes averted. 'Let me join you..My lord.'

'If you wish to..' Voldemort hissed, and Harry's felt a happiness he had never felt before, Voldemort however, continued. '….Then give me the philosopher stone!'

'I don't know how!' Harry suddenly responded fiercely while standing up and facing Voldemort. 'Besides it would be suspicious if the stone was taken, and I'd still be here. Dumbledore will know, and take the stone away from you before you can gain a body.'

'You do not do a good job presenting yourself, scolding me like that while you wish to join me..' Voldemort said.

'I am merely pointing out the facts.' Harry said a lot more brave than he felt. He faced the greatest wizard alive, and was contradicting him. 'The top priority is to give you back your body, and you know that you will not gain a body in time, even with the stone.'

Voldemort looked suspicious, but Harry continued.

'How does this mirror work?' He muttered to himself.

He was fooling himself. He was trying to find the stone, but he did not actually want it, which was exactly what the mirror would let him see.

Then he suddenly felt his pocket gaining weight. He put his hand in his robes, and revealed the philosopher stone.

'My lord,' Harry said turning to face his master. Harry stretched out his hand to deliver the stone to Voldemort, who eyed the stone longingly.

Suddenly red sparks filled the space between him and Voldemort, and both Harry and his master were thrown away from each other.

'What are you doing Harry?!' A voice from up the stairs shouted.

Rowan had come after them.

'What are you doing here Rowan?' Harry demanded.

'I came to tell you that Dumbledore is on his way, he is in the castle. I came to your aid! But apparently you do not need any. You are a traitor to the castle of Hogwarts, and to your house!'

Rowan took his wand, made blue fire appear and shot it at Harry, who deflected it with an advanced shield charm.

When the fire had subsided, and his shield had vanished, Rowan lay dead on the floor.

Quirrel stood before him, wand raised.

'If Dumbledore indeed is on his way, then you are right. There is not enough time.' Voldemort snarled. He was silent for a few seconds.

'The stone must be secured' He finally said.

'How?' Harry asked. 'If Dumbledore is indeed on his way here, than there is no way out!'

'There is..' Voldemort hissed. 'Harry Potter, you will now prove your loyalty to me. You will take the Philosopher stone with you, and with it, you will take a memory lock that is so powerful that even Dumbledore won't be able to find it. With an implantation of new memories, we will be able to fool Albus Dumbledore. The next time I hold a wand, I will remove the lock on your memories, and you will come to find me.'

'I will not fail you my lord.' Harry said. 'But how will you explain the absence of the stone?'

Voldemort made Quirrel raise his wand, and made him produce a red crystal nearly similar to the philosopher stone. With a quick jab of Quirrel's wand, the crystal shattered, the fragments spreading across the room.

'When the stone is destroyed, it will lose its powers, and the fragments should resemble what lies here now. Small fragments with only the smallest amount of magical origin.' Voldemort said.

'Remember Potter' Voldemort continued. 'Personally I do not trust you yet, however, this is the only way. Prove yourself to me. Now prepare yourself!'

Harry put the stone back in his pocket.

Voldemort raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and everything went dark.

Harry woke up in the hospital wing. He opened his eyes, and stared straightly at Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts.

'Good afternoon' The headmaster said.

Harry stared at him, then suddenly everything came back to him.

'Sir, Quirrel, it was Quirrel, I saw Quirrel standing in front of the mirro-'

'Relax, dear boy.' Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. 'Quirrel failed to obtain the philosopher stone, and I think we have you to thank for it.'

Harry did not understand. His head hurt when he head the headmaster talk about the stone.

'I do not understand.' Harry said ignoring the pain. 'What happened to the stone?'

'The stone has been destroyed. 'Dumbledore said simply.

'He…Voldemort…He shot a spell at me' Harry said, trying to remember. 'I looked into the mirror, and suddenly I held the stone.'

'I think…' Dumbledore said studying Harry intensely. 'That Voldemort tried to utterly destroy you, and that the stone very probably saved your life, as that is one of the things it does.' He finished with a smile. 'It grants life'.

Harry smiled, not sure what to say.

'When I arrived at the ministry of magic, I realized that I was actually supposed to be here.' Dumbledore said to Harry's unspoken question. 'I found Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, who were moving towards you as well.'

Dumbledore's voice trembled.

'I saw the dead body of Rowan Norton, and you lying only a short distance away from it, fragments of the stone spread across the room. I am sorry to say that I was too late to save him.'

Harry was silent. He felt saddened for the loss of his companion, but could not really remember seeing him die either. He thought that he had told him to stay with Weasley and Granger.

'How long have I been here?' Harry asked the headmaster.

'Three days. Rowan Norton's parents have already spoken with professor Snape and have already left.

That subject again.

'What happened to Quirrel?' Harry asked instead.

Dumbledore seemed to sense that Harry was too saddened to talk about the loss of his friend.

'Quirrel died.' Dumbledore said. 'If I have to speculate, I think that the backlash of Voldemort's spell was send back at him, and destroyed the host he was occupying.'

'But then, he will be back won't he?' Harry asked.

'Yes.' Dumbledore said severely. 'He will be back again. I think that he is wandering around again, like he has done for the past ten years.'

'I think that you have only delayed his return by keeping him from the stone..' Dumbledore continued. 'But if someone rises to the challenge again when he does try to return again, he might never return completely.' He finished with a smile.

At the mention of the stone, Harry's forehead began to sting again.

'Do you know who send me the invisibility cloak?' Harry asked once again changing the subject.

'Ah,' Dumbledore said sadly. 'Your father gave me that before he died, your real father. I thought it to be only right for you to have it after he died.'

'My real father?' Harry asked curiously. Lucius had actually never talked about his real father now that he thought about it.

'Yes. Of course you know that Lucius is not your real father do you?' Dumbledore asked, looking in his eyes for confirmation.

'I knew.' Harry said. Saying no more on the subject.

'Do you mind telling me a bit about my real father sometimes?' Harry asked the headmaster.

'Perhaps..' Dumbledore said dreamingly. '….sometime…'

Harry wanted to ask more, but Madame Pomfrey suddenly came in and announced that the headmaster had stayed long enough.

After Dumbledore had left, Harry sank back into the pillows. He realized that he was still wearing his school robes rather than the clothes which were normally given in the hospital wing.

Ignoring this, Harry closed his eyes and fell asleep once again.

**A/N: Phew, that once again was a hard chapter for me to write. I hope you all like my plan with the memory lock and I do not hope that you all hate me too much because I killed off Rowan.**

**Question for this chapter for you guys: Is it a bit unclear that Voldemort implanted a fake memory? If Yes, then please not that everything Harry remembers is only what Voldemort wanted him to remember.**

**Only one more chapter coming, just to cut off some loose ends, and then I guess I will start with Slytherin's Secret (that is if you reach 50 reviews.)**

**As always R&R, and remember: I appreciate tips above comments.**

**Authors request: I notice in my reviews that the word 'Interesting' is used quite some times. I would ask you to refrain from doing that again, for it is not really original (:P). If you still insist, please use the words: Uncommon, Original, Surprising, unorthodox or just a variation on 'Interesting'. Thanks already**

**Arildun.**


	13. Aftermath

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Aftermath**

Nightmares tortured Harry in his sleep. Flashbacks of what happened on that day, or shreds of it at least.

When Harry opened his eyes Draco was sitting at the end of his bed, a concerned look covering his face.

"I wondered how long you were going to thrash in your sleep" The pale boy grinned. Unable to hide his look of concern completely.

Harry, unable to say anything yet put on his glasses and stared at his friend.

"What happened?" Draco finally managed to say. "After you left I mean."

Trying to focus his mind on last night, Harry told his story to the boy who had tried to stop them that same night.

"If I had come with you..." Draco said hesitantly. "If I had not been so concerned about Slytherin..maybe I could've saved Rowan." A tear formed in the corner of Draco's eye. He had probably cared more about the third year than he had admitted.

"_tss," _The voice suddenly spoke in Harry's head. _"You were just a pathetic coward that's all!"_

Harry was silent. Except for the fact that Rowan died that night, Harry could almost not remember anything else.

"It is said that Dumbledore arrived a short while after you left and followed you." Draco spoke again to break the painful silence. "It is said that he found Weasley and Granger close by where you were, but that he mostly ignored them. He just send them to the hospital wing and continued after you as fast as he could"

"I see..." Harry said. If what Draco said was true, then they had been terribly lucky. Harry wondered if something else could have been done, but dismissed the thought shortly after it came. They had far more important matters to see to at the time. He could only call it luck that no questions had been asked about why Granger and Weasley were as they were when Dumbledore found them. Yet.

"So what happened to the stone?" Draco asked curiously.

Harry searched his memory of the incident. His memories were..foggy, to say at least.

"It got destroyed." Harry said, more because Dumbledore said so then because he actually remembered. "Quirrel wanted it for his own purposes, but he got destroyed in the very end."

"So Quirrel was You-Know-Who's accomplice?" Draco asked amazed.

You-Know-Who….That rang a bell…but Harry still couldn't really place the feeling of recognition.

"I guess he was.." Harry replied. Despite his lack of memory, a headache and questions on the tip of his tongue, Harry smiled.

"What happened in Hogwarts?" Harry asked his friend.

"The story is all over the place actually." Draco said smiling hesitantly. "Weasley is bragging about an epic battle with you and Rowan, but nobody believes him. " Draco's smile turned to laughter at the memory.

The laughter of his friend actually made Harry feel better. It was good to simply laugh with your friend than munch over something he could not longer remember.

The next day, Harry was finally dismissed from the Hospital wing.

The last days of the year turned out to be just like normal days. When Harry wasn't bombarded with questions about what happened, he had to listen to people who offered their condolences. His lessons with Snape continued, who merely said he didn't care about what happened beneath the hatch.

"That is about as much as you will learn from me this year." Snape said in the final week after Harry had successfully managed to heal a broken arm. He had been working on the arm for some time now, and finally managed not to puke when confronted with the thing, which seemed to be alive even while it separated from its body and broken in multiple places.

"Next year we will start with the more offensive abilities. This will be even harder for you to master." Snape said that final lesson. "You already have the maximum wand speed at your age, which does NOT mean that it cannot be improved when you are one year older."

Harry also saw Weasley and Granger multiple times during his last week, who just shot angry looks at him. They probably remembered everything that had passed that night, but asking them after what he had done to them would be ridiculous. It seemed like nobody believed them, but Harry still had to be cautious around them for the time being.

When not in class, lessons with Snape, or talking to students who wanted to know what had happened beneath the hatch, Harry spend time at the great lake with Crabbe, Goyle, Draco and even Nott, who had seemingly forgiven him for his Quidditch disaster. The sun was starting to lower, covering the world in twilight and casting an orange glow on the five Slytherins. They had already done their exams, so the only thing for them to talk about was the upcoming summer holiday. Everything seemed calm, and peaceful, and despite the voice in his head, who kept whispering in the back of his mind, Harry enjoyed this time with his friends.

When it was finally time for the end-of-the-year-feast, Harry remembered how much he was going to miss Hogwarts. Of course he would be going home with Draco, but he would still miss the great castle, in all its might and glory.

Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott, all dressed in their school robes, entered the great hall, which was as usual, illuminated by hundreds of floating candles and yet empty golden plates which reflected the candlelight throughout the hall. The hall was also decorated with the colors emerald and silver, because Slytherin had won the House cup for the seventh time, and probably for Rowan. When they entered, a short silence followed, and more than one eye eyed the five Slytherins. They positioned themselves at the Slytherin table, and waited for the Headmaster to speak.

"Another year, gone" The aging Headmaster cheerfully told the hall at large. "I hope you have once again stuffed your heads, with knowledge once again, but luckily for you, you have the summer to empty it a bit again.

"Before we start this final meal for this year" Dumbledore continued, and his cheerfulness changed to seriousness. "I would ask for a short time of silence, in honor of a student, who passed away in the last week….Rowan Norton was a student who in the end, sacrificed his life for his friend…..Let us not forget his sacrifice, and let us idealize his ideas that friendship is more important than your own life. Let us all remember Rowan Norton.

After a silence, Dumbledore spoke once again, although the seriousness remained.

Now, I understand that the house points are as follows: Fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points; third place, Hufflepuf with 352 points; second place, Ravenclaw, with 426 points, and Slytherin on the first place with 472 points.

A storm of cheering and clapping exploded from the Slytherin table, and despite his sadness for Rowan, Harry could not help but laugh, cheer and clap together with his friends and the other Slytherins.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin" Dumbledore said once the storm had settled a bit. "But taking recent events into consideration, I have a few points to give myself."

"First" Dumbledore continued. "To Mr. Ronald Weasley,"

Harry saw Weasley's head turn red like a swollen balloon, and noticed Draco and Nott rolling their eyes.

"For the best game of chess, Hogwarts has ever seen: Fifty points!"

The Gryffindor table also exploded in a storm of clapping and cheering, and somebody who could only be called an older version of Weasley proudly stood up and announced that that was his brother.

Harry felt like he had been struck in the face with a bare hand. Fifty points for a game of CHESS!? His respect for the headmaster was suddenly lowered an awful lot. He looked around and saw that many other Slytherins shared his viewpoint.

"Next" The headmaster continued ", is miss Hermione Granger, for cold logic under heavy circumstances: Fifty points!"

Gryffindors continued to clap and cheer and Harry felt a growing unease. They were still leading but if that senile old man kept giving hundreds of points for things they did every other day they could lose that.

"Next, for pure love, and enormous courage, I give Harry Potter: sixty points!"

Harry once again felt like he had been hit in the face, this time with a fist. Sure enough his respect for the headmaster rose again, but this was just a confirmation that the old man was mentally disturbed in Harry's opinion.

Nobody clapped or cheered at the Slytherin table, everyone was probably expecting (just like Harry) that the man would keep throwing hundreds of points to other houses.

"And finally" Dumbledore concluded. "There are many different kinds of courage. It takes courage to deal with your enemies. But even more, to stand up to your friends. Therefore I give ten points. To Draco Malfoy."

This time, the Slytherin table exploded again. It was final now; they had won the house cup! Harry kept cheering and laughing with his fellow Slytherin, and could not help but feeling delighted at the disappointed looks of the Gryffindors at the next table. Harry looked at the teachers table to see Snape giving him a small smile, and professor McGonagall looking as if she just swallowed a lemon on accident and hated the fact that she did.

"Even though Gryffindor did a great job, Slytherin did even better, so I'm afraid that the decorations this year are still correct as they are!" Dumbledore said smiling.

"Let the feast, begin!"

Harry had never felt better in his life. He had survived Quirrel, won the house cup and was now eating together with his friends. He looked to his left where Rowan normally sat and could almost picture the boy actually sitting there and laughing with them.

He would never forget that night.

Harry had almost forgotten about the exams they had a few weeks before, but Draco informed him that he had passed. Both Harry and Draco wondered how Weasley could have possibly passed the exams, but after Nott told them that Granger had probably given him all her answers, they decided that that was probably the only logical thing that would explain the matter.

Before Harry knew it, their trunks were packed and on the train, and the big gamekeeper was herding them towards the train.

When on the station, it looked as if the gamekeepers was about to say anything to Harry, who ignored him and went on the train with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott. He did no longer care what anybody said about or to him. He was going home.

When they arrived at Kings Cross station, Harry and Draco found Narcissa waiting for them, who said that Lucius was out on business and surprised Harry by giving him a firm hug.

Together two Malfoys and one Potter passed through the barrier of 9 ¾ . A shrill voice made Harry reach for his wand in his robe.

"Look mum, look, its him, its him!" a red haired girl squeaked. Noting Weasley standing next to the girl and a pretty fat woman with equally red hair, he could only assume that she too, was a Weasley and therefore not worth of his attention.

"Silence dear" The fat woman said. "It is impolite to point at people." The look she gave Harry told him that she was going to say something to him, but Narcissa gave the woman a cold stare and moved on with small sounds through gritted teeth which sounded like "…Breeding……pathetic…" and "..Fat". Laughing, Harry and Draco followed her, leaving an uncertain Weasley family behind.

**A/N: Hello again readers, I'm pleased to inform you that I'm actually not dead, as the quietness in my storyline possibly suggested. This was actually a pretty tough chapter to write, for I didn't really know what to talk about blabla…writers block….blabla….school, holidays etc.**

**My next chapter will take place after the summer holidays, in what the official book calls:" Chamber of secrets" but hey, this is my fan fiction so to hell with everything, I'm naming it "Slytherin's Secret".**

**I understand that there was a small problem with my authors note from my last chapter, which stated for you readers not to use the word "interesting". As I have stated in numerous emails. I apologize for this incident and ensure you loyal reviewers that it will not happen again. What you ****can ****do is tell me how to change my author's note in my previous chapter, so that new readers won't be insulted or offended.**

**I hope that said author's not did not insult/offend you that bad that you actually stopped reading my story (of course it didn't else you wouldn't be reading this).**

**As always, read and review, and as always: Give tips or advise about how I could improve the story or how you would like the story to continue (if its good/logical, I might actually do it :P)**

**Arildun **


	14. Zalazar's Secret

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Slytherin's Secret: A pleasant summer holiday:**

"_Protego Horribilis"_ Harry murmured as both Draco and Lucius Malfoy shot spells at him. The shield seemed to hold, with difficulty, but it held. Moving away from the shield Harry absently stupefied Draco and raised his wand at Lucius, who already had started to defend.

The two dueled for a short period, until Harry knocked Lucius down. Although more experienced, Lucius didn't seem to have the wand speed his age should allow him to, but then, Lucius was always more one for politics instead of actual battle. Harry turned to Draco, who was just crawling up from the floor again, pointing his wand at Harry. Harry raised his wand and prepared for the worst. He had underestimated the boy that was almost a brother to him once before, the result being a near collapse of the dungeon they were in, and a broken arm for Harry, which he was forced to fix using Snape's healing spells from last year before disarming him. It seemed Draco was getting quite fond of using the Blasting Charm on him after that encounter. These two people hardly posed a challenge to him now, and Harry was once again wondering why he was still in Malfoy manor, instead of seeking his Lord.

Harry did not remember much of what had actually happened the night when he first met the Dark lord, but he had to find him no matter what. Rumor had it amongst the believers that what was left of him was roaming about in Albania, but to search such a vast area without any clues of his whereabouts was nigh impossible.

Until he could find some clues of his Master's whereabouts, all he could do was practise and keep his skills at the top. It was annoying him though.

Soon, the new school year at Hogwarts would start, though he was doubting going this year. Teachings for the 2d year were nothing to him, only his lessons with Snape were worth anything.

Discussing with himself was pointless, he already made his decision. Even if he'd stay, he still wouldn't have a clue of his masters whereabouts, so why not use the time to learn more from Snape?

"_You could still go looking for him, you have all the time in the world."_ The voice in his head whispered to him, but he ignored it for now.

Tomorrow would bring a trip to Diagon Alley, combined with some business in Knockturn Alley. Maybe he could pick up something nice from either places, you never know.

___________________________________________________________________________

Striding with Lucius and Draco through Diagon Alley had not yielded anything interesting, only school books and new reagents, as well as new robes, for he had grown too much for last years robes. They had also met some fellow students, though Harry did not even bother using a fake smile. This was all useless, Harry thought as they strode to the crossing between Diagon and Knockturn Alley. That is when Draco spotted the Weasley breeding products, striding to Gringotts. "Leave them for now Draco." Lucius said, noticing his son's look at the filth. "Our business is far more important, as well is my appointment with mister Borgin." And for once, Harry could only agree with him.

Knockturn Ally proved to be far more promising on the field of magical objects. At least with Harry's taste that was.

Lucius has business at a shop called Borgin and Burkes. Seeing no objection, Harry and Draco followed Malfoy senior into the shop. Casually browsing the stores goods,

Harry saw loads of things, under which, a magical Hangman's rope, a withered hand, a bejeweled necklace, and a black cabinet which seemed to be ancient, but nothing he could possible use.

That was when his eye caught a glass container, holding something silk. Further examination proved that it was a glove with the color dried blood, made with finer silk than Harry had ever seen. Golden lines made magical symbols around the insides on his hand, and formed a perfect circle on the back.

The case's tag said that it was supposed to increase the wand speed of the user. Exactly to Harry's liking. What Harry did not like was the price tag, which was surely more than a fair trader would ask for the entire building.

"Ah well," Harry thought casually. "..Might as well take it".

Although the case was covered in a layer of dust, Harry was still cautious.

"_Probaturios" _Harry whispered pointing his wand at the case for signs of any magical defenses. Immediately a strong ringing filled his ear. It was definitely protected.

"_Specialis Revelio" _Harry said again, pointing his wand at the box, revealing three near transparent barriers protecting the case.

"_Finite" _Harry murmured at the case, and watched the first barrier slowly vanishing.

He took a glance over his shoulder to see what was happening around him. Lucius was still talking to Borgin, and Draco was examining the cabinet, with far more interest than the cabinet deserved in Harry's opinion.

Shaking Draco from his mind, Harry returned to his task.

Repeated effort with the Finite charm, didn't yield any results, this barrier was stronger than the last one.

"_Partis Temporus" _Harry whispered to the barrier, only to see a very small hole appearing in the barrier.

Five times it took him to create a hole in the barrier big enough to slip the glove out. Now only the last one remained.

"_Partis Temporus" _Harry whispered once again, and nearly gave up hope as a hole, twice as small as the previous one appeared.

After repeating the spell for ten more times, which made his throat feel dry, he finally got access to the glass box itself. It did not have a lock or a lid.

"_Cistem Aperio" _Harry murmured pointing his wand at the box in general.

At first Harry though nothing happened, but when he raised his wand to try again, he saw that a tiny lock had appeared, not much larger than his finger nail.

"_Alohomora"_ Harry whispered. Sweat was now really starting to drip down his spine for the time it took. Lucius was going to be done here any moment, and Draco could come over to watch as well.

Careful not to touch the barrier with the lid as Harry opened the box, he checked for inside defenses, and to his great relief, found that there were none.

"_Carpe Retractum" _Harry whispered, and slowly, ever so slowly, made the glove float through the magical barriers.

Stuffing his prize in his pocket, he took his wand once more, now was the difficult part, he was still busy training to get this spell actually right.

"_Geminio"_ Harry whispered. It was an effort not to let despair sink in when nothing happened.

Harry concentrated, and tried again. Again. Again. Only after five times did he create a similar looking object to replace the stolen one in its case.

Closing the lid, Harry relocked the box ("_Colloportus"_) and withdrew his spells holding the barriers back.

His prize safely in his pocket, Harry strode out of the shop with Lucius and Draco.

Only to find a small crowd around them once they entered the streets of Knockturn Alley.

Muggers, probably, Harry thought, fingering his wand in his pocket. Seven of them.

The men wore filthy clothes, which suggested living on the streets of Knockturn alley itself. More than one sounded sluggish with alcohol as they sneezed and whispered. "You, with the glasses" One of the more civilized people surrounding them said. "Hand over the glove, and we will let you go safely." Ignoring the surprised looks Lucius and Draco gave him, Harry gritted his teeth. How had they discovered him so quickly?

"Wondering what you did wrong did ya?" The man sneered. "The lock, brat, there were defensive spells around the small lock as well. Now hand it over, we don't want things to get messy now don't we?"

Cursing himself for his impatience, Harry faced the man, but Lucius beat him to it.

"Move aside Burke, you are in my way." Lucius said coldly against the man, who's name was Burke. The second shopkeeper. The man must have sensed the defensive spell around the lock triggering, and had more than enough time to gather a small crowd to get his property back.

"Not unless we get our property back" The man called Burke grumbled pulling out his wand.

"Are you threatening me?" Lucius whispered outraged. "Me? Don't forget your place Burke! You know that the ministry will hunt you down if I give the word, and I will if you even lay a finger on me!"

"Oh don't worry, we won't" Burke said raising his wand. "and for your argument, I don't think you will have the time to give anyone a word except us!"

Lucius also drew his wand. Which in turn made Draco and Harry draw wands. This however, made everyone else draw their wands as well.

The silence stretched. Harry surveyed his surroundings, they were surrounded in a tight alley which moved downward to the rest of Knockturn alley in the form of a near horizontal stairway. The odds considering the surroundings were good. In such a tight space, the men did not have the real advantage of their numbers. He prepared several nasty spells for the first who raised his wand.

"Get on with it" Burke growled. "_Stupify!"_

Suddenly, jets of light were flying everywhere, and both Harry, Draco and Lucius were fighting their hardest to defend themselves.

Harry forgot all his offensive spells, as he needed every bit of concentration and ability to defend against his attackers. True, most of them were drunk, but they still proved to be a match to the three. He had to find an opening somewhere, or one of them would be hit.

There! Harry thought when one of his opponents mouthed his spell. A curse capable of being blocked by the bracer Rowan had given him. Throwing his bracelet wearing arm in the spells directional field, Harry pointed his wand at his opponent.

"_BOMBARDA!" _

The alley exploded in a burst of rock and dust. Bricks were flying in all directions, and sand thrown into the air was blinding everything from Harry's sight, who threw himself flat on the floor in reflex.

When the smoke and debris settled Harry saw bodies, littering the floor, Draco and Lucius' among them. Harry moved towards them, when a figure emerged from the smoke. It was Burke.

"_Everte Statum!"_

Before Harry had time to block, the hurling hex threw him against the wall behind him. Hard.

Feeling blood pour from the side of his head, Harry reacted.

"_Incarcerous!" _Harry cried pointing his wand at the man.

The man blocked his binding spell, but Harry was already repeating his spell, throwing Hex after hex, as fast as he could.

Finally, under a volley of hexes, curses and spells and bound in ropes, the man lost consciousness, and hung limply from the ropes binding him.

Now that all the dust and smoke had settled, Harry watched devastation.

What was meant as a way to throw his opponents down the alley, had resulted in the alley collapsing on top of them.

Water was flowing from a broken underground water pipe into the alley. People were buried under bricks, some where merely unconscious. Most of them were bleeding, but Harry left them, they were none of his concern now. Draco had a nasty gash on his forehead, and Lucius was unconscious, bricks lying about on his person.

People surely would come running to the source of the noise. If that would be the case he needed someone to watch over him while he tended to Draco.

"_Rennervate"_ Harry said pointing his wand at Lucius's lifeless form.

Lucius' chest rose and fell again, and with a huge amount of groans finally found the strength to push all the bricks off himself and stand straight again.

"What happened?" Lucius gasped, just having being forced out of unconsciousness.

Harry ignored him as he moved his wand across Draco's bloody wound, which was slowly knitting together again.

"We better use the Floo powder system at Borgin and Burke's if we want to get away from here quickly." Lucius said regaining composure as Harry finished his work on Draco.

"Done." Harry said dropping Draco in the street. "The rest is up to you, I'll be waiting inside."

Harry re-entered the shop and threw himself in a chair near the fireplace. His head was spinning because of his own wound. Guessing from the pain, it was probably worse than he dared to admit. Without exactly knowing where the wounds core was, healing would be difficult, so he let it be for now.

After a while, Lucius approached the fireplace, Draco on his back, followed by a glassy eyed Borkin who meekly handed them all some Floo powder, before returning to his shop again.

"I erased their memories." Lucius said as Harry threw his powder in the fire. "They won't remember a thing."

"Good." Harry said, before naming his destination for the fire.

The spinning sensation did not help the wound on his head, for when he reached Malfoy manor, he collapsed on the chair in front of the fireplace. Vaguely he remembered Lucius and an unconscious Draco following him through the fireplace, then everything went black.

**A/N:**

**Sorry for the wait all of you who read my story, I was really busy with school, holidays and even when I had the time to continue, I couldn't think of a good way to start the second part of my story. Please read and Review, and all give me your opinion about the glove and what do you think of its properties.**

***Spoiler***

**I am thinking about cursing the glove (as it comes from Borkin and Burke's) or at least giving Harry injuries after he uses it. What do you think about that?**


	15. Returning to Hogwarts

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Returning to Hogwarts**

'_Lockhart arrests dark wizards in Knockturn Alley'_

_Gilderoy Lockhart (order of Merlin, third class, Honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award) captured six to his words 'dangerous dark wizards' in Knockturn Alley Saturday last. According To Mr. Lockhart, the dark wizards were attacking shopkeeper Burkes, who has a shop on the verge of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. "I was signing books at Flourish and Blotts when my superior eyesight (which's origins are more thoroughly explained in my bestseller "Magical Me"") thought it spotted Harry Potter among the crowd." Gilderoy states. "I tried to make my being there clear to Mr. Potter, but he did not seem to hear me, which must be the trauma of his well known past, for who can resist the voice of Gilderoy Lockhart (which's origins are more thoroughly explained in my Bestseller "Magical Me")?. I tried to follow him of course, but my fans did not let me pass without me signing all of their books. That was when I realized that my hair was terribly out of order and needed a desperate fix (more detail to Mr. Lockharts __current hair situation on page 5)! When I finally got to where I had last seen the famous boy, I noticed those six thugs assaulting honest Mr. Burke! Of course I came to his aid immediately (I will leave the details for the safety of my younger fans)."_

_Mr. Burke however, did not seem to remember much of the incident itself._

"_I was walking to my store, and before I knew it I was lying face down in a destroyed alley with Mr. Lockhart at my side, his face pale with (probably) rage and adrenaline." Mr. Burke states. "I am really thankful for Mr. Lockhart's help, for who knows what those thugs could have done with me shop?"_

_For more information about Mr. Lockhart's heroic rescue and capture, see page 6._

Harry tossed the Daily Prophet on the table beside his bed. Let the fool strike with his actions, Harry thought. He didn't really care. On the contrary, it would even more helpful should Borgin remember that they were in his shop that day, small as that chance was.

Harry touched his head. Although the bleeding and pain had stopped, he could still feel where the wound had been an hour ago, when the house elf had healed him. He was hungry.

"Dobby! Appear before me!" Harry ordered to the room at large.

Immediately Harry heard a crack, and their mangy old house elf appeared before him.

"My master commands?" The house elf said humbly, pressing his long nose on the floor tiles in what was supposed to be a bow.

"I am hungry elf, get me some lunch from the kitchens." Harry said. Still, after all these years, he still could not completely hide the disgust he felt when the creature was nearby. It was filthy and was only wearing a worn and equally filthy pillow case. Harry would love for him to wear something better and cleaner, but he knew that the house elf would leave if they have him clothes.

Harry was awakened from his thoughts when the House Elf reappeared by the side of his bed with a tray, filled with Harry's favorite's, which he wordlessly put on Harry's bed.

"Close the door." Harry said ignoring the tray for the moment, putting on the glove he had taken from Borgin and Burke's as the house elf walked to his chamber door.

It was time for a proper test.

The instant the glove was fully covering his hand, everything seemed to go slower. The mangy old house elf seemed to walk as if he had all the time in his pathetic little life, The curtains moved slower against the wind, and Harry heard footsteps on the stairs just outside of his room slowing to an agonizingly slow pace. Harry's hand on the other hand, seemed to move at his own regular pace as he took his wand and mouthed his spell.

"_Everte Statum"._

The hurling hex hit the elf on his back, and literally threw him out of the room, where he collided with Draco, who had been coming up the stairs.

Laughing, Harry put the glove back off again, and listened to the sounds of Draco swearing and what had to be Draco kicking the elf down the stairs. The moment Harry slipped off the glove however, his eyesight suddenly went hazy, and for a second Harry felt as if he were truly blind. As soon as it appeared, the feeling vanished again, and Harry regained his normal eyesight, just in time to see Draco walking into his room.

"Feeling better are we?" The blond asked cheerfully, his mood denying the fact that he had just kicked a living being into a deadfall down the stairs.

"Good enough," Harry replied lazily. "I wish I could get out of this bed though, but Narcissa insists that I remain here until at least tomorrow."

"Be glad you can get out tomorrow," Draco replied. "Tomorrow we'll be going back to Hogwarts."

Harry had to agree.

"True, true," Harry said. "But it'd still be better if I could get out now."

"Cant have everything now can we?" Draco said smiling, obviously amused by his situation.

"I'll see you in the morning," Draco continued. "Be sure to be all ready to leave".

"Don't worry," Harry assured him. "I will be."

Closing the still open door with his wand, Harry returned to the food tray on his bed.

Pushing their trolleys across Kings Cross, Harry and Draco got the usual surprised looks from the muggle filth. As Lucius was working, only Narcissa accompanied them. Harry and Draco casually leaned near the barrier that would lead them to 9 ¾, and when nobody was watching leaned through the barrier, only to find themselves leaning against solid rock.

Sharing surprised and confused looks with Draco, Harry put his hands on the barrier, but only found solid rock.

"What's wrong?" Narcissa asked, joining the two boys near the barrier.

"Its stuck!" Draco wailed. "What if we wont be able to return?!"

"Mh…." Narcissa mumbled, looking at the big clock above them. "You are not late, so somebody must have forced the barrier shut. But no matter, no matter." She added when she saw Draco's anguished look. "There are other ways into Hogwarts. Follow me."

The two boys followed Narcissa out of Kings Cross, into a deserted alley.

"Dobby! Appear!" Narcissa commanded.

With a loud crack, the house elf appeared again.

"My mistress called?" He humbly said, pushing his nose even harder on the cold street than he had done for Harry.

"Go to the ministry of magic, to the Floo Regulatory Panel, and find Madam Edgecomb. Tell her to open the temporary Floo connection to Hogwarts, as the train barrier has been shut down before its time, and be quick about it!" That last was obviously for the house elf.

"As my mistress commands." The house elf mumbled and with a loud crack, vanished again.

Leaving the alley, Narcissa headed for the first working public telephone, and dialed several numbers.

"Yes, this is Narcissa Malfoy," Narcissa said in suddenly very sweet voice. "Can the special ministry cars reserved on the Malfoy name appear as soon as possible at Kings Cross station to be driven to the ministry of magic? Yes, thank you."

Putting the phone back, Narcissa turned to Draco and Harry resuming her regular cooler voice.

"A ministry car will be here in a few seconds to pick you up. They will escort you to the ministry of magic, where you will contact madam Edgecomb. She will further handle your transport to Hogwarts."

At the nod of the two, Narcissa stepped back into the shadows of the alley, and apparated back to Malfoy manor.

"Well, its not really the Hogwarts express, but you cant say that opening the temporary Floo powder connection to Hogwarts just for the two of us is inadequate right?" Draco said, pleased at the connections his family had all over the ministry.

"As long as we get there in time, everything is fine." Harry said.

"_Maybe this is even better, as it is probably faster that lousy train."_

"_Get out of my head!" _Harry thought irritably, and surprisingly, the voice retreated back to the corners of his mind with a agonizing wail.

It did not take long for the ministry cars to arrive. Harry and Draco entered the vehicle, and Harry allowed Draco to have a few words with the driver as he lounged in the now vastly larger car, before the car moved away from Kings Cross with surprising speed.

**___________________________________________________________________________**

When Harry and Draco arrived at the ministry, they left the driver to his business, and entered the phone booth. As it was not their first time at the ministry of magic, Harry dialed 62442, and explained why they were coming to the ministry of magic to the voice in the phone booth.

Pinning the visitor buttons which now labeled "Temporary Floo transporters" to their shirts, Harry and Draco descended to the Atrium level of the ministry of magic.

When the doors opened, the two boys stepped into the Atrium, into the crowd, past the fountain of magical brethren and into the elevator.

Fountain of magical brethren..a stupid delusional idea. Harry thought. Wizards were more powerful than the creatures standing on the fountain, that is why the wizards had power, and most of the creatures now lived in special area's controlled by the ministry. Seeing Draco eying the fountain through the closing doors as well, he could tell that Draco was sharing his thoughts.

Finally arriving at the 6th floor, Harry and Draco did not even wait for the cool woman's voice to finish her "Level six, Department of magical transportation. Leave here for: Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparation Test Centre.", but immediately strode off to the Floo Network Authority.

Leaving Draco to find Madam Edgecomb, Harry studies the department they were in.

The walls were stacked with bookcases with books on Floo powder uses, as well as fireplaces and cupboards full of Floo powder. The center of the room was filled with desks and hastily scribbling people. There were no windows in the department, but light still shone as if the entire department was made of a glass box hanging high in the air. Harry was about to check on the stacks of Floo powder in the cupboards when Draco returned with madam Edgecomb.

"Ah, you must be Potter." Madam Edgecomb said coolly. "See all this?" she said pointing at the hastily scribbling people. "All because of your temporary Floo powder transport. Come along now."

Almost jogging to keep up with the woman's fast strides, Harry and Draco followed the woman to the central fireplace, where she handed both an unusually large amount of Floo powder.

"The head of your house, Professor Severus Snape, has already been notified of your coming." Madam Edgecomb said taking one step back. "Throw it all in, mind." She added as Draco stepped into the fireplace first.

"Hogwarts!" Draco said clearly, and threw the powder into the fireplace.

A much larger flame than Harry had ever seen coming out of a Floo powder fireplace erupted from the fireplace, and Harry immediately understood why madam Edgecomb had taken a step back. Throwing himself sideways, he barely dodged the green torrent of flame.

"Nice one I'd say," Madam Edgecomb said, her tone clearly stating that she was being sarcastic. "Although you should know that Floo powder fire is completely harmless."

Ignoring Harry who was now finally starting to get over his shock and getting on his feet, Madam Edgecomb continued.

"Now, pip pip, move along now, I don't have all day. You boys have given me a day's work of reports to finish, and I'd like to get to it."

Making his eyebrows refrain from climbing up because of her tone was an effort, but he managed. As he stepped into the fireplace, Harry also named Hogwarts loud and clear, and threw in the fire, receiving one glance of madam Edgecomb, who was already dismissing them, before appearing in the dungeons of Hogwarts.

"Evening Potter" Severus Snape said without looking up from his paper as Harry appeared. As Harry walked past the potion masters desk, he read the headline of the evening prophet Snape was reading.

"_Weasley's take a tour in flying fort Anglia"_

"It seems like Arthur Weasley found another fascinating project to work upon." Snape said lifting an eyebrow at the paper, ignoring Draco bursting with laughter at the door.

"But that is for another time I fear. As I was telling young Mr. Malfoy here, we are investigating what closed the barriers, but as Mrs. Malfoy took care of almost everything, there shouldn't be any problems for the two of you. Now. The Hogwart's express has just arrived at the station, so the two of you can accompany Mr. Filch to the doors, where you will rejoin your classmates for the beginning of term feast."

Draco and Harry started off towards the great hall, when Snape called Harry back.

"Lessons are starting again. 8'o clock, after dinner Potter. Every evening." He said before seating himself again and resuming his study of the evening prophet.

"Understood sir." Harry said, before rejoining Draco to the Great hall.

**A/N**

**Well, I'd daresay that was a quick chapter after the last one ********. Ideas suddenly seemed to burst through my mind, and if I did not have to research some tiny details, I bet I could've finished this one in an hour. **

**As always Read and Review, and although not much happened in this chapter, new, more exiting things will happen in my next chapter as of course the chamber of secrets will open, and you will all get to read Harry's reaction on it.**

**Arildun**


	16. A lesson with Snape

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**A new lesson with Snape**

Harry and Draco met up with Filch and the rest of the first years at the doors of the great hall. Where professor McGonagall would pick them up shortly. The other students, who had been driven up with the coaches, where probably already inside, waiting for the sorting ceremony.

"Professor Snape told us to join you." Draco said with disgust in response to Filch's look at them. Harry could tell that Draco hated Squibs almost as much as he hated mudbloods.

Harry's eyes swept over the crowd of rain soaked first years, some averted their eyes, but most just looked embarrassed and shy. Harry also thought he spotted a Weasley in the crowd. Yes, there was no mistaking it. The red hair, the second hand robe, the look she gave him was the same her mother had given Harry when Narcissa had come to pick him and Draco up after their first year. Uncertainty.

Not too long after Harry and Draco had joined Filch, the door opened, revealing Minerva McGonagall, in her usual emerald robes.

"Professor Snape has informed you of your situation," she said stiffly. "Move along now."

Anxious to leave the first years behind him, Harry swept through the grand doors into the hall with Draco at his heels.

Their arrival drew some looks of course, but they were quickly dismissed.

Harry and Draco both spotted Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin table who were sitting together with Nott, and quickly joined them.

Professor McGonagall apparently had not waited for them to be seated, because the first years were already lined up near the teacher's table at the end of the hall waiting to be sorted by the mangy old hat sitting in front of them.

Suddenly a gap opened just above the rim of the hat, and a loud voice began to sing, raising some gasps among the first years.

_Oh you may not think me pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me._

You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all. 

_Ther__e's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;_

You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap! 

The great hall burst into applause, which the Slytherin's only participated only half-heartedly in. The new first years were equally sorted in their new houses (Weasley obviously in Gryffindor), and as usual, the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose from his chair for his yearly speech.

"To our first years, welcome. To our older students, welcome back. Now, there is a time for speeches, but it is not now. Dig in!" The headmaster re-seated himself and gave the golden plate before him his order, which was the starting signal for the beginning of the year feast.

After Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott had eaten their full, they left for the dungeon, where Draco, Crabbe and Goyle and Nott left for the common room, and Draco took a turn to Professor Snape's office.

"Evening Potter," Snape said appearing in the hallway behind him. "I severely hope for you that you have practised this summer or else you will suffer my….displeasure."

With a whip of his wand, Snape opened the door to his study.

"Now," Snape said drawing his wand so fast Harry had no time to react. Immediately an enormous pain exploded in Harry's left arm. He screamed, but heard no sound coming out. When Harry looked down, he saw that his left arm was broken in at least two places.

"Show me what you have learned Potter, and what you have remembered."

Snarling, Harry took out his wand, and began fixing his arm.

"A warning would have been appreciated." Harry said barely able to hide a snarl.

"Life does not give warnings." Snape said studying Harry's work on his arm. "Never lower your guard Potter."

When Harry had fixed his arm again Snape once again drew his wand.

"Again!"

This time however, Harry was prepared, and raised his wand in defence.

"_Protego Horribilis!"_

The shield appeared just in time, and as it formed, Harry saw two cracks appear in his purple round shield, what would have been his arm if he had not summoned the shield.

"Acceptable, acceptable." Snape muttered under his breath. "Again!"

For the next hour, Harry was dodging spells, blocking powerful jinxes and mending his own body when Snape managed to reach it.

"Your work is acceptable Potter, and your healing even exceeds my expectations."

Harry grimaced and flexed his arm which had been broken a minute ago. Snape smiled.

"I promised you last year that we'd be handling more offensive spells, as your only true offensive spells at the moment are mere stunners and irritating jinxes which are harmless to stronger opponents." Abruptly Snape turned his heel and left the office. "Come with me." Snape said.

Harry followed the potion master through the torch lit dungeon, where Harry was just in time to hear his teacher talking to Nott, who had probably been lurking in the hallway.

"…you will return to your dormitory now Nott." Snape said softly but firmly. "I will know if you lurk around here any longer."

Giving Nott a meaningful glare, Harry followed Snape through deserted corridors, torches making eerie shadows as the two passed by. Snape led Harry up just as deserted stairwells, to finally reach the astronomy tower.

The night was cloudy and cold, but Harry could still see a patch of the moon shining through.

"Stand back." Snape ordered as Harry arrived on the tower.

Snape drew his wand and starting to begin intricate wand movements.

"_Tempestas, ego, imperio"_

Suddenly Snape's wand flew up, pointing to the sky, followed by pure blue and white lightning crashing out of the wand he was holding. His robe was billowing behind him as wind covered the astronomy tower. Snape's normally dirty hair was blown backwards but as a jet of lightning soared up the sky into the clouds, he remained steadfast.

It was over as soon as it had begun. Snape lowered his wand and returned to Harry.

"_Beautifulll!" _The voice in Harry's head whispered, but he ignored it.

"This, will be the spell you will be training to master this year Potter." Snape said with a smirk.

Harry just realised that his mouth has hanging open and closed it.

"I? Will be controlling that?!" Harry asked incredulously. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes" Snape said emotionlessly. "Is there a problem?"

Harry quickly gathered himself together.

"No sir, not at all."

This seemed to satisfy his teacher.

"Good. Don't think that this is going to be easy however. This will probably take you the whole year to master."

"I understand sir, but if I may ask, how strong is this spell?"

"Its weak." Snape said in the cold emotionless voice.

Harry was sure he had misheard it.

"Weak?!" he managed, and realised his mouth was hanging open again.

"Yes Potter, Weak!" Snape said coldly. "Just that it looks great does not mean that it is powerful."

"Can you explain that please?" Harry managed. Snape sighed.

"It does indeed look great, but lightning is and remains a force of nature. Not unlike stunning spells. Those are magical in nature. Lightning can cause great damage to your opponent, but it can very easily be blocked by shield of pure magical origins."

"Now," Snape continued. "I don't say that this spell cannot break through a simple shield charm, but an advanced shield charm such as your own can hold back its destructive might. This is only the first step however."

"The first step?" Harry inquired curiously.

"Yes Potter," Snape said, looking glad that Harry caught up to this part. "This spell consists of two parts, the simple form and the compressed form."

"The compressed form sir?" Harry asked.

"Mind that you wont be dealing with the second form until next year, but an explanation will do for now." Snape explained. "What you just saw, was the first form, it was one solid jet of lightning. The second form however, compresses the lightning, turning it into very small thread like lightning rays with a very destructive might. The spells true nature comes into play here."

"What would that be?" Harry asked anxiously, unable to hide the desire in his own voice.

"Magical shields are solid, single jets clash into it and are stopped, but if the compressed lightning is properly done, it can slide through the tiny microscopical holes into a shield, also knows as air vents."

"What are air vents?" Harry asked, feeling his throat dry.

"Though of pure magical origin, all shields have tiny microscopical air holes which allow air to pass through. This and this only is the reason why gaseous spells can slip through the simple shields. Gasses surround the caster and mix with the oxygen the user needs. The compressed lightning, if done properly mind, can also use these vents. Stronger shields, which also turn off your air supply, are the only ones which can stop this spell. That is why great wizards, such as Dumbledore or the Dark Lord always prefer to use magical evasions or shields that close of the oxygen."

"Water YA doin' here, this time o'night?

In his desire not to miss a word from what his teacher said, Harry had failed to hear the footsteps of Argus Filch, the Janitor, coming up the tower.

"Its all right Argus," Snape said softly. "Mr. Potter and I were just having….a chat."

"Don't you worry Argus" Snape continued as Filch opened his mouth. "I will escort Mr. Potter back to his dormitory now."

Motioning Harry to follow him, Snape glided down the stairway, leaving Filch on the astronomy tower.

As Harry entered the Slytherin common room, it was no surprise to him to see Draco and Nott still awake and alert in the heavy chairs in front of the fireplace.

"You were listening?" Harry inquired, noticing the wands lying on the table in front of them.

"Of course." Nott said.

"Naturally." Draco replied.

"Goyle and Crabbe already went to bed, as they still cannot muster the scrying spell."

"It looked cool though, how he blasted the lightning up of course!" Draco said impressed.

"Pity that he forced us down to our bodies with that." Nott said disappointed.

"What?" Harry spoke incredulously. "The lightning broke through the scry?"

"I think so." Draco said. "We were floating in the sky watching you, when suddenly this lightning storm came at us, and the next thing we knew we were sitting here again."

"Of course we immediately put the scrying back on, but once we had reached the astronomy tower again, you had already been caught be Filch."

"Filthy Squib." Draco muttered.

"The lesson was over anyway.." Harry said disappointed. He had really wanted to get started right away. Furthermore, he did not know the wand movement and did not remember the full incantation, so practise in the dormitory was off too.

"Well, there is nothing we can do anymore now," Harry continued. "So I'm off to bed."

Draco and Nott muttered their agreement and followed Harry up the stairs, and while everybody else was sound asleep a few moments later, Harry could still only think about Snape, casting lightning into the evening sky.

**A/N**

**Well, another chapter is up, I hope you all liked the chapter, as well as my made up Nature-magic theory…at least I thought it made sense..:P **

**I still have loads of ideas for future updates, but ideas are always welcome.**

**Of course the next chapter will contain some more Gilderoy Lockhart (seriously detest the guy, although he does play a good role in the movie) as well as Harry's first attempt to master "**_**Tempestas, ego, imperio" **_**Which literally means "Storm, I, Command" in latin (had to find a good name, and this one didn't seem too bad). As always R&R and see you in the next chapter which will be called "Gilderoy Lockhart".**


	17. Gilderoy Lockhart

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**Gilderoy Lockhart**

In the first days of Autumn, the trees surrounding Hogwarts started to lose their leaves. Harsh winds screaming around the castle were starting to grown normal again, Hagrid was preparing for the winter, and professor Flitwick already suffered from a cold. Everything was completely normal, except for the Whomping Willow, which was in a particularly bad mood.

"Heard that the Weasley's crashed into it with their flying car." Draco mused one day in the Slytherin common room.

"Heard?" Harry asked while Nott, Crabbe and Goyle were roaring with laughter. "Heard from whom?"

Harry could tell that Draco was doing his best not to laugh, and failing miserably at it as he replied.

"From their blood traitor mother of course!"

"Their mother? Do explain Draco." Harry said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you had lessons with professor Snape." Draco said, with a face of one who just made a particularly intelligent conclusion. "Apparently, Hogwarts send the blood traitors a letter with what their sons did, and their mother replied by sending them all a Howler during breakfast. Can't speak for you lot, but it truly made my day."

The fires in the dungeons roared as laughter filled the common room, the people within it delighting in the suffering of the poor Weasleys.

In fact however, Harry did not have a real reason to laugh. His lessons with Snape were still an utter failure to say in the least. After nearly one week of lessons, Harry had expected to see at least something emerge from his wand, but all he could manage was making his wand shake slightly, which, for some reason he could not comprehend, was impressing Snape.

According to his schedule, he and the other Slytherins had a double period of defence against the dark arts on Friday. He had heard the stories from the older Slytherins, who respected him. Some even saw him as their equal. Apparently the new teacher, Lockhart, was a complete disaster, which seemed to fit nicely with the conclusion Harry had made out of the article in the news about the Knockturn alley incident.

Not really having a choice, Harry, Draco, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle went to their defence against the dark arts class. As Harry had expected, they were sharing this lesson with the Gryffindors, Weasley and Granger among them. Both seemed to avoid his gaze. Completely natural, after he had hexed them in the dungeons deep beneath the school in their previous year.

The classroom looked nowhere near what it had looked like in their previous year. Everywhere Harry looked, were paintings, photographs and even a few drawings of Gilderoy Lockhart, the chairs had been rearranged so that everybody was forced to look to the centre of the classroom, and on the desk of the teacher himself, was a pile of what could only be fan mail. Sighing heavily, they took their seats, and Harry already had his wand half drawn when the door crashed open and something blond with sparkly white teeth entered with an enormous:"GOOD MORNING!"

"Let me introduce you to your new defence against the dark arts teacher....me!" Lockhart said, showing the class a book with his own smiling portrait on it, as if he were holding something genuinely pure and holy.

"Order of Merlin third class," Lockhart continued while Harry put his half-drawn wand back into his robes."Honorary member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of the Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."

"The guy is a complete nutter!" Nott hissed in despair.

Harry and Draco could only grunt in agreement. Crabbe and Goyle could only gape in astonishment.

"...But I didn't get rid of the banshee by smiling at her, you know." Lockhart finished with a flashy grin. He waited for the class to laugh. A few Gryffindors did so weakly. Harry was pleased that only disgust decorated the faces of the Slytherins who were present.

"So! I would like to start our first lesson with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about, just to check how well you read them." Lockhart said while handing out pieces of parchment.

"You have thirty minutes, starting..now!"

Harry looked at the questions on his piece of parchment.

Question 1: What is Gilderoy Lockharts favourite colour?

After casting his eyes to the heavens and sighing, Harry looked around at his fellow Slytherins.

Draco was drawing on the back of his piece of parchment, after which he sent it as a paper plane towards Weasley and Granger.

Nott had burned his piece of parchment to a crisp, and now raised his hand, asking why he hadn't received his quiz yet.

Crabbe and Goyle had the exact image of a pair of monkeys who had been staring at a banana, after which someone took the banana, and the monkeys couldn't yet figure out what happened yet, and another Slytherin, of whom Harry did not know his name, was hanging back and ignoring his piece of parchment altogether.

"Blaise Zabini." Malfoy said, after he saw Harry looking. "Pretty much the quiet type. Pure-blood, that's for certain. Ability with magic..I'd say above average. Nowhere near you of course."

"Maybe we should to get to know him." Harry said softly. "Could be a valuable ally."

Draco opened his mouth to reply, but then received the image of his paper plane, slowly burning away in the centre of the classroom. Lockhart miraculously hadn't realised a thing.

"Sir," Malfoy said raising his hand. "Weasley stole my quiz and burned it while I was writing about your miraculous survival after your encounter with the banshee!"

Lockhart looked down at the small pile of ash at his feet, and made a small jump backwards, as if he had just discovered a dead animal there instead of a small heap of ash.

Lockhart looked at Weasley, who was too late in hiding a smile at Lockharts reaction, which Lockhart took completely the wrong way.

"You think it is funny to irritate hard working students Weasley? Ten points from Gryffindor!"

Lockhart took out his wand, pointed it at the small pile of ash, and said "_Whispey"_.

Instead of clearing up the ash, or vanishing it all together, Lockhart ended up in spraying ash all over the classroom.

Harry lazily flicked his wand in order to evade the ash blowing his way, and was surprised to see that Granger had done the same, although with a bitter look of concentration.

"Now!" Lockhart said, forgetting his quiz altogether and lifting a large covered cage on his desk. "To business."

"It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures know to wizardkind. You might face your worst nightmares, right in this room. I'll assure you though, that no harm will come to you whilst I am here.

Despite of himself, Harry gave the cage more of his attention. Could it be that he might actually learn something here?

"I ask of you not to scream, "Lockhart said softly to the silent class. "for it might provoke them."

Lockhart lifted the cover of the cage while the class held its breath.

"YES!" Lockhart proclaimed above a shrill screaming. "Freshly caught, Cornish Pixies!"

The Slytherins sat back again with a sigh, and a Gryffindor snorted.

"Now look at yourself!" Lockhart said in a tone usually used in addressing small children. "None of you realise the danger you are in. They can be very tricky if you aren't careful." "Now..Let's see what you make of them!" Lockhart said, and he opened the cage.

Chaos erupted. The pixies shot in every direction. A pair of them were lifting a Gryffindor up by the ears, some of them escaped immediately by crashing through the window, showering the class in pieces of glass, and the rest proceeded in rampaging through the classroom.

Harry sat back. More than one pixie had dared closing in on him, and all of them now had their heads stuck in the far end of the classroom wall. Draco was doing his best to remain calm, but was obviously determined to remain in the safe zone called Harry Potter's personal space. Crabbe and Goyle had apparently aligned themselves with the pixies, and were proving a match to their blue contestants in terms of pure destruction. Nott had positioned his desk against the wall, he himself sitting underneath it, cutting down his blind spots and making it virtually impossible for any pixie to get near him and evading his impediment jinx. The boy called Blaise was sitting on top of Nott's desk, and decided that Nott's way of handling the pixies was best, and reverted to his strategy of impediment jinxes.

Harry first thought that Weasley had also aligned himself with the pixies just like Crabbe and Goyle, but after a second glance, he was merely trying to whack a pixie who had a hold on Grangers hair.

Within minutes, the entire class except Harry, Draco and Lockhart were hiding under their desks, mimicking Nott, who still hadn't suffered a single injury, just like Harry, Draco and Blaise. Pixies were spraying potions across the classroom, they picked up schoolbags and tossed them out of the broken window, they ripped books apart, and completely ignored the lone Gryffindor who was now hanging on the steel chandelier.

"Come now, come now! They're only pixies!" Lockhart said, pulling out his wand.

"_Peskey Piskey Pesternomi!"_Lockhart had absolutely no effect. One of the pixies took Lockhart's wand, and chucked it out of the broken window. Lockhart screamed and went for the Nott strategy, making for his desk, nearly being crushed by the Gryffindor as the chandelier gave under the weight.

The bell rang, and suddenly, tables collapsed as everyone made way for the exit.

Harry, Draco, Nott and surprisingly, Blaise Zabini, calmy picked up their school bags.

"I think I can ask you to put them all back into their cages right?" Lockhart said as he sped past them, pausing to give them a sparkly smile.

"thirty points for Slytherin and we'll do it." Draco said. "Each."

"Well of course, of course!" Lockhart said hastily, closing the door behind him. "Thirty points for Slytherin!"

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco. "Was that necessary?"

"Being paid to torture annoying little pixies? I'd do it!" Nott said, drawing his wand again.

"Why am I included in this?" Blaise said with a yawn."

"Because you are probably better at this than Lockhart himself." Harry said. "Now let's get this over with!"

The Slytherins drew their wands, and Harry put on the spell casting glove he stole from Borgin and Burke's.

Chaos proceeded again.

In a few minutes, all the pixies, more than one of them bruised and a single one with a broken arm and leg, were back into the covered cage, leaving only Crabbe and Goyle, who were smashing Lockhart's desk with his own books in the now silent classroom.

The class looked as if it had held a rhino with tantrum. Except for the walls and the ceiling, the classroom was completely destroyed.

Harry stepped over the fallen chandelier, removing his spell casting glove as he did and receiving his blurry vision again for a few seconds. "We are not responsible for the mess." He said to his fellow Slytherins. "We put the pixies back in their cages, and that's that. Now let's go, or we'll be late for our next class."

Ignoring the wrecked classroom, the group of Slytherins followed Harry out.

**A/N: Dear readers, sorry for the big break between my chapters, but I'm sure you are all still alive so no worries there. Tried to put more detail in my stories, please let me know if you realised it (and whether it is good/bad). Also, while reading some of my reviews, I found out that I completely forgot about Blaise Zabini (thank you Fifespice), so I just chucked him in the story.**

**As always, read and review, and thank you for reading.**

**Arildun**

**BTW: Tips for the plot are always welcome. If I like it, it might just happen. **


	18. The Chamber of Secrets

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

In the early evening of Halloween, while the rest of the school was attending to the Halloween feast, Harry finally managed to force his wand into producing a spark during his lessons with Snape. His joy in finally being able to produce something was immediately vanquished when Snape erased it with a lazy flick of his wand.

"You lowered your guard!" Snape said while throwing Harry across his study with a non-verbal impediment jinx. "Again!"

For the rest of the lesson, Harry blocked, dodged and rolled, trying with all his might to send lightning at his black-clad teacher who stood in the center of the dungeon, every bit the immovable object Harry was supposed to overcome

Harry raised his wand once again."_Tempestas-_"

"_Stupefy_!" Snape yelled while Harry was in mid-spell.

Harry was too slow, and found himself soaring across the dungeon once again.

"Tempestas, ego, imperio sure is quite a mouthful isn't it?" Snape mused while Harry raised himself to a kneeling position. "It will get better though," Snape continued. "Once you master it, you can reduce it to simply "Tempestas". After you managed that, you'll do it non-verbal, and after that.." Snape raised his wand.

"_Tempestas Nexus!_"

Strands of lightning, thinner, yet more violent than thunderstorm itself, blew from Snape's wand, through the dungeon, straight at Harry.

"_Protego Horribilis!" _Harry cried in utter despair as second form of lightning came roaring towards him.

The purple shield formed, and for a split second, Harry gained a bit of hope. Which was instantly crushed again as the lightning soared through his shield without hesitation, surprisingly leaving the shield intact.

Just as Harry thought his end was near, Snape raised his wand again. "_Tempestas Imperio!_"

The lightning which had been about to hit Harry dead on, suddenly spun around him, forming a cocoon. Harry looked as strands of lightning danced all around him, entirely blocking his field of vision.

As soon as it had formed, the lightning cocoon vanished again. Harry looked around. Flames were dancing everywhere where the lightning had touched. A circle of black ash had formed around Harry, where the cocoon had scorched the very dungeon floor.

"..and finally Tempestas Imperio," Snape continued as if nothing had happened. "which will allow you to control your lightning at will."

Panting, Harry used the wall to raise himself to standing position again.

"When do you think I'll master the second form?" Harry asked his teacher.

"Won't be that long." Snape replied while he absently repaired the ravaged dungeon. "The hardest part is to actually create lightning. Condensing it is probably the easiest part, and controlling it will be in between those two. Speaking in levels of difficulty of course."

"That, will be enough for today." Snape said when Harry opened his mouth for more questions. "Come," Snape continued while walking to the door." I'll walk you to the Slytherin dormitory as it is too late for you to attend the Halloween feast now."

Giving up on more questioning, Harry followed Snape out of the dungeon.

As they neared the Slytherin dormitory, a hollow scream echoed through the castle, stopping both Harry and Snape in their tracks.

"Get your wand out Potter!" Snape said while drawing his own, running towards the dungeon exit.

"Why do we have to go?" Harry asked, running after Snape with his wand out. "Aren't we a bit far from it? It sounded like it came from higher than the ground floor!"

"Huffelpuff is stationed near the kitchens," Snape said while whipping the door to the ground floor open with his wand. "Ravenclaw and Gryffindor are in the towers, which means that as long as it is beneath the 3rd floor, Slytherin and Huffelpuff are closest. Furthermore, most of the school will now be attending to the Halloween feast, so we can safely assume that only a few have heard that scream."

The two ran up the stone stairs to the ground floor and stopped in the center of the entry hall, listening for any noise at all, which was hard, for as they left the dungeons, they could now hear the people who were enjoying the Halloween feast, which made hearing anything else except that nearly impossible.

"_Yessss, it hassss been too long ssssince I lassst killed…_" Harry's head whipped around. He hadn't heard the strange voice in his head for a long time. Then he suddenly realized that it had sounded different. And it came from above them.

"This way!" Harry called out, while running up another flight of stairs. He could hear Snape hastily following him. When Harry reached the first floor, the first thing he noticed was the water. Water was flowing down the corridor.

"It comes from that way." Snape said, already splashing through the water, with Harry at his heels.

When the two of them rounded a corner, they came face to face with, surprisingly, Weasley and Granger, who looked horrified, at something above them.

Harry looked, and saw Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, hanging from the torch bracket. Above the cat, was something written in what very much looked like blood.

"**The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware."**

Suddenly, Harry heard hundreds of people coming up the stairs. The feast had probably ended, and the students would likely be making for their dormitories now.

Harry eyed Weasley and Granger, who were still staring, horrified, at the hanging cat.

Students were now entering the corridor from both sides, and formed a circle around the message on the wall and the four people standing close to it.

"What is ta meaning af this?" Came the voice of Argus Filch, the janitor, who made his way through the crowd. He saw his cat hanging on the wall bracket, and his eyes, now furious, turned to Harry and Snape, who both looked at him with dark emotionless eyes. Filch's eyes then moved to Granger and Weasley.

"You are the ones responsible!" Filch cried madly while advancing on the two Gryffindors. "You have murdered my cat! I'll kill you!!"

"Argus!"

Professor Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, together with a number of other teachers. He swept past Harry and Snape, took Mrs. Norris from the wall, and examined her.

"Come with me please, Mr. Potter. You too Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger." Dumbledore said at last, and turned heel.

"Ah! Dumbledore!" Came the cheerful voice of Gilderoy Lockhart, who was trying not to wet his robes, and explicitly ignored the seemingly dead cat and the message on the wall. "My office is closest I think, feel free to use it if you wish."

"Thank you Gilderoy." Dumbledore replied with a slight nod of his head. "Lead on."

Dumbledore led Harry, Granger and Weasley to Gilderoy Lockhart's office, followed by Snape and McGonagall.

When they entered Gilderoy's office, they were met by the sound of tens of Gilderoy Lockharts, who all fled from their photographs when they saw the seemingly dead cat.

After a short examination, with Lockhart in the background giving suggestions of how the cat was killed, Dumbledore concluded that she was not dead, but merely petrified, which abruptly stopped Lockhart in midsentence.

Filch turned to Weasley and Granger, pointing at them with his bonelike fingers as if he were wielding a rapier.

"Common ya lot! Tell us how ta undo da curse you used an her!" He cried in triumph, probably already mentally preparing some nasty forms of torture in his dungeon.

"This couldn't possibly have been done by a 2nd year student Argus." Dumbledore interfered. "This is powerful dark magic."

"But they must've done it!" Filch said in utter disbelief. "Who else could've done such a thing?"

"We don't know yet Argus."

Dumbledore turned to Harry, Granger and Weasley. "You better go now."

Wordlessly, the three left the office of Lockhart, probably all three of them very much aware of all the eyes on them, including the ones of all the fake Lockharts on the wall.

As soon as the door had closed behind them, Weasley turned to Harry, drawing his wand.

"What did you do to Mrs. Norris Potter?" Weasley asked in an attempt to sound menacingly.

"Ron, don't!" Granger hissed. "You're going to get in so much trouble!"

"Never knew you were so fond of cats Weasley." Harry replied. "Sharing natural instincts with them?"

Weasley took another step towards Harry.

"Think we are intimidated by you when you aren't surrounded by your gang?"

"Try me." Harry taunted.

"Someone really ought to teach you a lesson!" Weasley growled. "_Eat slugs!_"

Unable to draw his wand in time, Harry lashed out with his bracer, catching the spell in mid-air, and sending it down a corridor on Harry's left, where the spell collided with a first year who had been hurrying to his dormitory.

"Ron! No!" Granger cried in desperation, drawing her wand as well.

Harry however, wasted no time. He drew his own wand, and pointed it at Weasley, who was blasted down the corridor by Harry's non-verbal impediment jinx.

Harry pointed his wand at Granger, who was about to try a spell of her own.

"_Expelliarmus!_"

Surprisingly, Harry felt his own wand fly from his wand. He looked at Granger, who was looking just as surprised as Harry, her wand still raised.

Harry turned.

"We couldn't help but notice that you were in a bit of a pinch," Fred Weasley said, holding Harry's wand. "So, we decided to give you a little help." George Weasley said, finishing his brothers sentence.

"Ah isn't this nice." Harry said sarcastically, eying the Weasleys up and down. "The Weasley clones."

"Now now!" Fred said "We were just about to help you."

"Yes!" George continued. "We could relocate your ears if you want!"

"Or your nose,"

"Or your eyes,"

"Or your chin!"

"Naah, that would be doing him a favor."

"How about multiplying his glasses?"

"Could do that."

"Let's do that!"

Concluding their discussion, the Weasley twins turned to Harry again, who looked past them in a bemused expression.

"_Expelliarmus_" cried three different voices.

The wands of the twins soared through the corridor.

The Weasley twins whipped around, only to find wands at their chins.

"Now now," Theodore Nott said, who had his wand pointed at Fred. "Going four on one? Not really fair is it?"

" Hardly." Draco Malfoy said in with a grin. He had his wand pointed at George and was now also holding Harry's wand.

Harry turned around. Crabbe and Goyle had pinned Weasley to the ground, while surprisingly, Blaise Zabini had disarmed Granger.

"Well George, it looks like we are surrounded." Fred Weasley said nonchalantly, completely unimpressed by the appearance of the five Slytherins.

"Sure does." George Weasley said absently. "Testing product 6a?"

"Taking a lefty?."

"Sure."

"Okay, shoot!"

Something what seemed to be a black clod fell from Fred Weasley's pocket, and suddenly the corridor was filled in a cloud of black smoke.

Harry heard people passing him, heard Draco trying an illumination spell, but it was all in vain. When the cloud had lifted, there was no sign of the Weasley twins. Crabbe and Goyle both leaned against the corridor wall wearing a bewildered expression, multiple kinds of fungi covering their faces. Nott, Draco and Blaise were simply looking around themselves trying to catch a glimpse of an escaping Gryffindor.

"Blast! We lost them." Nott growled, while Harry picked up his wand. "Filthy blood traitors!"

"How did you know where I was?" Harry asked the group in general.

It was Draco who answered however.

"Well, we knew you were studying with Snape, but when you weren't there after the Halloween feast, we figured something might've happened."

"So we searched the castle using your scrying spell." Nott continued. "Blaise caught us doing it and insisted that we teach him that spell, so we did."

"He can be very persuasive." Draco said with a wry smile.

"We saw you staring at this text on the wall, about this "chamber of secrets", and we followed you as you were led to Lockharts office." Blaise said.

"Yes," Draco said with a glare at Zabini. "and as soon as we saw Weasley draw his wand, we stopped the scrying and came to join in the fun."

"And Blaise just sort of tagged along." Nott said with a grin at Zabini.

"Apparently a good thing that we came." Draco said to Harry. "Four on one is a real challenge, even for you."

Harry bit back a comment stating that if he had had his glove on him, he could've taken them all out.

"We better get those two to the hospital wing." Harry said instead, pointing at Crabbe and Goyle, who were fingering the fungi growing from their faces. "We'll get those Gryffindors some other time."

The Slytherins left the corridor, which turned silent once again, except for the first year who was now vomiting slugs, abandoned by both Slytherins and Gryffindors.

**A/N: Hello again dear readers. Nothing actually happened in this chapter, except for the message on the wall of course. Sorry for that, but I wanted a full chapter to write about the events after the message on the wall. Furthermore, I wanted to show you that Harry is not invincible. As I showed you in this chapter, he can take on multiple enemies at once, but he does not have any Spiderman-senses which allow him to sense people behind him. Also please tell me what you thought of my Weasley twins, for that actually got me stuck for a few minutes, trying to find the best way for them to talk/interact.**

**As always, read and review, and thank you for reading my story.**

**Arildun**


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